Stanley Andrew Barbas

Middletown, RI - Stanley Andrew Barbas, 72, of 6 Wood Road, Middletown, RI, died Monday, September 29, 2008 at Newport Hospital, Newport, RI. He was the husband of the late Doris Oster Barbas. He was the oldest of three sons of the late Andrew and Alkinoy Barbas. Stan was born on February 19, 1936, in Sioux Falls, SD, where he was also raised. He was the maverick of the family, always hanging out at Sioux Falls Municipal Airport currently named Foss Field. It was actually Stans hero, Joe Foss himself that gave young Stan his first airplane ride. This ignited a passion that would be with him ever since. Stan graduated high school and attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Stan was very involved and kept himself very busy. Besides taking a full class load, Stan was a charter member of the Gamma Upsilon chapter of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, belonged to the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, sang bass in the school choir, was on the yearbook staff, and was on the wrestling team. Stan also took ROTC and served for 6 months active duty, and 7 years as a reservist. At the time of his discharge, he was a first lieutenant in the signat corps.After graduating from the South Dakota School of Mines in 1958, with a Bachelors Degree in electrical engineer Stan worked in the motors, gear motors, fans and blowers industry for the span of his career. Working primarily in sales and marketing, and later, management, Stan loved when his engineering knowledge was a contributing factor in a sale. In 1985 Stan was hired by Papst Mechatronic and soon moved the family from Dover, NH to Middletown, RI. In 1993, the company was bought by EMB Industries, Stan was promoted to Marketing Manager, and the company soon closed their RI location. Stan had recently purchased a home, fallen in love with Newport, and made the decision to commute to and from their Farmington, CT location. Stan retired from EBM in 2003.Stan was also an avid pilot and had his commercial pilot and ground instructor ratings. He was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, and enjoyed flying all over the US, especially New England, with his family and friends. Being an avid landscape and portrait photographer as well, Stan combined these two passions, and shot and sold an extensive collection of ariel photos as well. In 1985, Stan began flying skydivers for George Ireland at a skydivers only airport and campground in Lebanon, ME. Stan was a Skydiver Driver for 10 summers at Skydive Lebanon Currently Skydive New England and loved every minute of it. He continued flying until he suffered a heart attack on Valentines Day of 2004 and lost his medical certificate.Some highlights of Stans life were when he was awarded a trophy as Salesman of The Year beating out 59 other candidates in 1964, when he appeared on the CBS Evening News in 1974 which is now on youtube, and when he received several plaques from his skydiving friends including one inscribed Stanley Barbas, Chief Jump Pilot, Deepest Appreciation From The Ground UP in 1988. He is survived by his sons David Andrew Barbas of Worcester, MA, Gregory Scott Barbas of Miramar, FL and Michael James Barbas of Newport, RI, his grandchildren Julianne Barbas, Christopher Barbas and April Barbas as well as his brothers George Barbas of Dana Point, CA and Daniel Barbas of San Diego, CA. His funeral will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2008, at 9:30am, from the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, with a funeral service at 10:30am, in St. Spyridons Greek Orthodox Church, 390 Thames Street, Newport. Burial will be in Newport Memorial Park in Middletown.Calling hours will be held on Friday, October 3, 2008, from 7-9pm in the funeral home. Donations in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society of Rhode Island, 931 Jefferson Blvd., Suite 3004, Warwick, RI 02886.