1940
John
2022
John "Jack" S. Barclay
March 20, 1940 — October 6, 2022
John "Jack" Barclay Obituary
John “Jack” Scribner Barclay, Ph.D., 82, of Ashford, CT died October 6, 2022. He was born March 20, 1940, to the late Edward and Marjorie (Scribner) Barclay of Windsor, CT.
A childhood on the Branford shore evolved into a passion for conservation pursued through academic research. With degrees from U Maine, Penn State, earning his Doctorate from Ohio State, Jack became a professor of Zoology at Oklahoma State University, with two summers as visiting professor at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. He also worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in the Eastern Energy and Land Use Team, before returning to his home state as a UConn professor of Natural Resources Management and director of its Wildlife Conservation Research Center.
Jack was always happiest moving through nature or sitting very still and silent outdoors, whether in predawn New England cold or twilight Southwest heat, ideally with a close friend or family member along. Woods, field or water; all God’s creation was his habitat. He was a church Elder and Deacon, a Gideon and a choir member. He played the fife (including at Eisenhower’s 1957 inauguration) and harmonica, and he enjoyed bluegrass. He was a scientist who believed we have a spiritual obligation to protect natural places and their denizens.
He loved his family and his dogs, his music and his God. He bequeathed his descendants perennial tenacity, indispensable humor and a working knowledge of hunting, with a tendency towards gathering.
He is survived by his fellow ecologist and devoted wife of 44 years Frances (Rumney) Dunn Barclay; sister, retired marine biologist Norellen (Barclay) Terwilliger, Ph.D.; children Heather Barclay Davis (John) of NY, James Dunn (Jenny) of OK, J. Brian Barclay (Janet) of CT, Jon-Colin Barclay (Bridget) of PA; grandchildren Zara Davis, Emily Dunn, Tommy Dunn, Hannah Dunn, Ian Barclay, Anya Barclay, and Xander Barclay; former wife Carol (Coles) Barclay; and many nieces and nephews.
Jack’s family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday, October 13, 2022 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. Willimantic. His funeral service will be Friday, October 14, 2022 at 10:00am at Westford Congregational Church, 368 Westford Hill Rd, Ashford with his burial following at Westford Hill Cemetery in Ashford.
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to the family or plant a tree
in memory of John "Jack" S. Barclay, please visit our floral store.
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John “Jack” Scribner Barclay, Ph.D., 82, of Ashford, CT died October 6, 2022. He was born March 20, 1940, to the late Edward and Marjorie (Scribner) Barclay of Windsor, CT.
A childhood on the Branford shore evolved into a passion for conservation pursued through academic research. With degrees from U Maine, Penn State, earning his Doctorate from Ohio State, Jack became a professor of Zoology at Oklahoma State University, with two summers as visiting professor at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. He also worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in the Eastern Energy and Land Use Team, before returning to his home state as a UConn professor of Natural Resources Management and director of its Wildlife Conservation Research Center.
Jack was always happiest moving through nature or sitting very still and silent outdoors, whether in predawn New England cold or twilight Southwest heat, ideally with a close friend or family member along. Woods, field or water; all God’s creation was his habitat. He was a church Elder and Deacon, a Gideon and a choir member. He played the fife (including at Eisenhower’s 1957 inauguration) and harmonica, and he enjoyed bluegrass. He was a scientist who believed we have a spiritual obligation to protect natural places and their denizens.
He loved his family and his dogs, his music and his God. He bequeathed his descendants perennial tenacity, indispensable humor and a working knowledge of hunting, with a tendency towards gathering.
He is survived by his fellow ecologist and devoted wife of 44 years Frances (Rumney) Dunn Barclay; sister, retired marine biologist Norellen (Barclay) Terwilliger, Ph.D.; children Heather Barclay Davis (John) of NY, James Dunn (Jenny) of OK, J. Brian Barclay (Janet) of CT, Jon-Colin Barclay (Bridget) of PA; grandchildren Zara Davis, Emily Dunn, Tommy Dunn, Hannah Dunn, Ian Barclay, Anya Barclay, and Xander Barclay; former wife Carol (Coles) Barclay; and many nieces and nephews.
Jack’s family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday, October 13, 2022 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. Willimantic. His funeral service will be Friday, October 14, 2022 at 10:00am at Westford Congregational Church, 368 Westford Hill Rd, Ashford with his burial following at Westford Hill Cemetery in Ashford.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of John "Jack" S. Barclay, please visit our floral store.
Read More
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John "Jack" S. Barclay, please visit our flower store.
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