Ronald E. Barks passed peacefully into the arms of the Lord on May 9, 2022 at 83-years-old. Born on July 6, 1938, to Clarence and Anna Barks, Ron grew up in Hawthorne, New Jersey. He was raised in a large, loving, multi-generational immigrant family. Throughout his life, Ron remained proud of his Jersey roots, attributing life lessons learned and values instilled to the wisdom shared and work ethic demonstrated by his grandparents and parents.
Ron’s childhood home was on First Watchung Mountain. “(The mountain) really had a big influence on my life,” he stated in an article written by his friend, Laurence J. Sasso, Jr., and published in The Valley Breeze on April 10, 2019. “I used to sit on the edge of a cliff and look across the Passaic River Valley to New York City. I would wonder where all the roads and rivers and railroad tracks went. I wanted to go to the city and find out about the rest of the world.” Which he certainly did.
On the mountain top were Bianchi Swamp and a basalt quarry where he and his friends played and explored. Ron was captivated by the mineral specimens he found during his ramblings: quartz, amethyst, prehnite, and basalt among others. A geochemist was born. Ron's passion and insatiable curiosity to learn how they were formed shaped the direction of his life.
He attended Hawthorne High School, where he served as president of his class for four years, starred in varsity basketball, and fell head over heels in love with Ruth Cosine his freshman year. Literally. In awe of the lovely young woman greeting him at her door on their first date, he tripped over the doorstep landing in a heap.
Ron graduated from high school with a full scholarship to Princeton University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geology in 1960. Ron continued his advanced graduate studies in minerology and crystal growth, earning his Ph.D. in Geochemistry from Penn State. On August 27, 1960, Ron married the love of his life and best friend, Ruth Cosine. While Ron served on active duty as an officer in the Army from 1966 to 1968, Ron and Ruth gave birth to their son, James Harold Barks, and daughter, Jennine Ruth (Barks) Canty.
In 1968, Ron and Ruth moved to Thompson, Connecticut to settle and raise Jim and Jennine. Ron launched into his career in geochemistry as Director of Research and Development at Norton Company in Massachusetts. His professional growth expanded into intellectual property and technology transfer. He was hired by Los Alamos National Laboratories as director of a newly created tech transfer initiative to share unclassified government technologies with private industries. Ron and Ruth moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in the late 80’s, enjoying the southwest culture and establishing new lifelong friendships. Upon retirement, Ron and Ruth moved to Rhode Island just across the border from Thompson.
Ron was a lifelong learner. His loved sharing all he learned, from golf tips to the cultures he experienced in his extensive world-wide travels. In his retirement, he dove into history and created a series of lectures on the Asian Invasions of Europe and on other great peoples of Europe. He presented his seminars and lectures from the halls of Salve Regina College to libraries and churches. In his retirement, he dove into history and created a series of lectures on the Asian Invasions of Europe and on other great peoples of Europe. He presented his seminars and lectures from the halls of Salve Regina College to libraries and churches.
Ron was an was an avid golfer, singer, writer, church and civic leader, Patriots fan and renowned foodie who appreciated a quality, ice cold gin martini.
Ron was a gifted storyteller who reveled in sharing the story of his life, regaling family, friends and all he met with his escapades and adventures. Many of these he preserved in short stories he wrote: “McFarlan Memories,” “Grandpa’s Pipe,” and “Seven Ways Not to Treat Your Sweetheart,” to name only a few, which he stored in a binder labeled, “Musings from a Happy Life.”
The most meaningful story he shared was his near-death experience when, at the age of 56, he suffered a heart attack while on a ski lift in New Mexico. His heart stopped in the ambulance and efforts to resuscitate him apparently failed. While in limbo between the two realms, he reached towards a golden light where there was no pain and infinite love. Ron chose life which was symbolized by a bathrobe lovingly made by his Ruth, who stitched, “I love you,” on it with “Love Jim” and “Love Jen” cross-stitched by his children on the pockets. The robe included pain, but also infinite love. He chose the robe and his heart started beating.
In his 80’s, Ron accepted his death was imminent. He was ready for the Lord to take his hand and join his ancestors. He died peacefully at home, embracing the infinite love promised by the golden light along with the infinite love embodied in the bathrobe made by his wife and children as he embarked upon the greatest mystery and final adventure of his life.Ron is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth (Cosine) Barks; his daughter, Jennine Ruth (Barks) Canty; two grandchildren, Daniel (“DJ”) Canty and Erin Jennine Canty(his favorite granddaughter); his son, James Harold Barks (Carla); his brother Gerald Barks (Gale); his sister Clareann Barks; his brother-in-law Robert Martone; a nephew and three nieces. Ron was predeceased by his brother-in-law, Greg Clarke (Clareann Barks), and sister-in-law, Nancy (Cosine) Martone (Robert).
Upon the passing of his beloved Ruth, their ashes will be commingled and placed in a columbarium at the Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, Rhode Island.
Family and friends are welcome to attend his memorial service, which is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 20th, at JF Skeffington Funeral Home, 925 Chalkstone Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island.
For online condolences kindly: skeffingtonfuneralhome.com
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