Robert Charles Barningham, 90, recently of Mystic, died August 25, 2011 following a brief illness.
He was born July 27, 1921 to Charles and Ethel Barningham in Providence, RI and was educated in Cranston RI schools and Brown University where he graduated with honors with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering.
After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy in February 1943 and served in the South Pacific as the engineering officer for a carrier aircraft service unit. He finished his tour of duty in Washington DC at the David Taylor Model Basin. While in the Navy, he managed to find time to marry Ann Harriman of Providence, RI in August 1944.
Following his service in the Navy, he joined Pratt & Whitney Aircraft as a test engineer in March 1946, a position he had d reamed about since a sophomore in high school.
Bob is survived by his wife of 67 years, Ann (Harriman) Barningham, three children; a daughter Pamela Phillips of Vestavia Hills, AL, 2 sons Richard of Portland CT and Stephen of Jericho, VT, 4 grandchildren, David Phillips, Michael Phillips and his wife, Amy, Jennifer Phillips and Arleen Barningham. He was blessed to have Bob Phillips and Kathy and Ruth Barningham as wonderful in-laws.
Bob’s hobbies included golf and sailing. During his teenage years he won the Narragansett Bay annual Indian class championship 3 times. While at Brown he was part of the sailing team that won the national intercollegiate championship in 1942, sailing MIT dinghies on the Charles River.
After 37 years he retired from Pratt & Whitney as Director of Engine Development. He and his wife then moved to Cape Cod where at the Cranberry Valley Golf Course in Harwich, MA, Bob was twice club champion and 5 times senior champion. He also enjoyed sail boat racing and cruising in a Marshall 18 cat boat in the summer and frostbite racing in Cape Cod Frosties during the winter. In later years, they wintered at The Villages, FL.
Bob and Ann have been residents at StoneRidge in Mystic, CT since 2007 and members of Mystic Congregational Church.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 17, at 2:00pm at Mystic Congregational Church, Mystic CT. Burial will be private for the family at North Burial Ground in Providence RI.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Brown University Sailing Club, Box 1932, Providence RI 02912 or Mystic Congregational Church, 43 East Main Street, Mystic CT 06355.
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