Obituary of Gerald Orville Barney

 

BRIEF OBITUARY

Gerald Orville (“Jerry”) Barney, 1937-2020, beloved husband, father, brother, and grandfather, passed away peacefully in the presence of his family on September 9, 2020. Jerry was born on a small farm in Oregon, where he developed a love for and curiosity about the natural world that led him to become a Ph.D. physicist, system dynamics modeler, and social entrepreneur, who would come to study the future of our global society, and support collaborative, integrated national planning with more than 40 counties. Always on the leading edge, Jerry wrote or edited several books about environmental, social, and economic issues, integrated national planning, and thought leadership on the world’s “guiding institutions.” Directing the Global 2000 Report for President Carter was a watershed moment that influenced the remainder of his career. Responding to demand for national studies similar to Global 2000, Jerry founded a nonprofit, Millennium Institute, and led it for over twenty years. Jerry and his team helped leaders and policy makers from all over the world to use system dynamics modeling to analyze data and develop sustainable and equitable national plans. He also developed the concept of “guiding institutions” – those which are highly influential in whether humans develop a balanced relationship with the planet – and worked with the guiding institutions to create change. After retiring from Millennium Institute, he founded a second nonprofit, Our Task, to help young people study and advocate for a sustainable and equitable future. Jerry is remembered for being a good father, husband, friend, listener, scientist, mentor, and advocate for a balanced relationship between humankind and the Earth, and is greatly missed.

 

FULL OBITUARY

Gerald Orville (“Jerry”) Barney, 1937-2020, was a loving husband, brother, father, educator, writer, physicist, policy research innovator, nonprofit leader, and expert in global sustainability, whose life work and dream was to help human civilization to achieve sustainability. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Carol Ann (Fund) Barney and dear son Stephen (Steve) Elkanah Barney who both died in 2020. Jerry is survived by his brothers John Lee Barney and Carl Darwin Barney and their families; son William (Bill) Stewart Barney and daughter-in-law Andrea Ogden Barney, and their children Natalie Aileen and Thomas Gerald Barney; his daughter Kristen (Kris) Ramona Barney and her partner Anthony Jonas Hyatt; and his daughter-in-law Sally Kay Alt (widow of Steve Barney).

Childhood, Education, and Marriage

Jerry was born December 15, 1937 in Oregon City, Oregon (USA), to Richard Darwin Barney and Gladys LaVerne (Hubbard) Barney. He grew up on a small family farm in Beaverton, Oregon, where his parents and brothers had many adventures exploring the natural world and completely renovating a ramshackle farmhouse. Jerry graduated from Oregon City High School, traveled and studied in Germany, and went on to earn a B.A. in Physics at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. There Jerry met his future wife, Carol, who was a nursing student and cared for him in the university infirmary.

Jerry and Carol were married in Oregon City on June 5, 1962, and soon thereafter moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where in 1967, he became the fifth graduate of the new Ph.D. program in fusion physics at the University of Wisconsin. Following graduation, he worked in the field of operations research at the Center for Naval Analyses in Arlington, Virginia, where he prepared economic studies and large-scale simulations. He later became a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where, under Professor Jay Forrester, he and other pioneering students used computer modeling (“system dynamics modeling”) to study systemic challenges and identify strategies to better manage economic, ecologic, technologic, and social issues in a holistic, integrated way. In 1972 some of his MIT classmates used system dynamics modeling to produce the influential Limits to Growth study, which challenged the assumption that humans could continue to utilize natural resources endlessly without disruptive consequences and which shaped Jerry’s work and priorities for the rest of his life.

Early Career: Environmental Grantmaking and Global 2000 Report to the President

During the 1970s, Jerry managed the National Program at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and served as editor of a book sponsored by the Fund, The Unfinished Agenda, a collection of writings and policy recommendations on topics such as population, natural resources, energy, and pollution control—issues that would later be linked in the concept of “sustainable development.” During this time Jerry also worked with Governors Nelson Rockefeller and Russell Peterson on the Commission on Critical Choices for Americans which produced a study and recommendations on challenges facing America.

Following the publication of The Unfinished Agenda, Jerry was hired by the Carter Administration to serve with the Council on Environmental Quality, where he directed The Global 2000 Report To The President: Entering The Twenty-First Century. This study integrated the environmental, economic, social, and population data from 12 U.S. Government agencies – for the first time ever – into a single study. The analysis in Global 2000 showed that a transition to a sustainable society was possible, but required political will; and that failure to achieve sustainability would lead to widespread war, suffering, and even failure of civilization. These predictions were radical in 1980 but have since come to be accepted by many scientists, policy researchers, and leaders.

Global 2000 also documented the significant limitations of the federal government’s capability at the time to create coherent, evidence-based, integrated global projections on which to base long-term planning, effectively issuing a challenge to the government to better understand and improve its modeling, analysis, and projection capabilities. It was the only U.S. government report at the time with over 1.5 million copies in print and translations into nine languages. In addition, other countries, starting with Canada and China, began to approach Jerry to lecture on Global 2000 and assist them in developing similar studies at a national level. President Carter counts Global 2000 among the ten things he was most proud of in his Presidency.  After Jerry’s death, his family learned that The Global 2000 Report had also inspired a children’s cartoon, “Captain Planet,” which aired on Turner Broadcasting System for eight seasons, as well as a Marvel comic book of the same name.

During the 1970s Jerry was also active locally, studying environment and development through the Arlington Committee for Optimum Growth, which advocated for more holistic approaches to planning and development. Jerry was a truth teller and was unafraid to look squarely at difficult issues so that something could be done about them. He and Carol took their children to demonstrations for peace and sustainability, and taught them systems thinking by taking them to see the impact of stormwater on streams in heavily paved areas, and educated them about hunger and poverty. Jerry credited his mother for his love of nature and environmental consciousness, and advocated for girls’ and women’s voices to be heard, their challenges to be understood, and their leadership to be supported.

Middle Career: Millennium Institute and Parliament of the World’s Religions

After Global 2000 was released in 1980, Jerry founded a non-profit organization, the Global Studies Center, (whose name was later changed to the Institute for 21^st Century Studies, and finally to the Millennium Institute or MI). MI helps decision makers worldwide to use a holistic approach creating sustainable, equitable, and peaceful national and global societies, drawing upon the methodology and integrated modeling tools developed at MIT and through Global 2000 to help leaders and stakeholders meet sustainable development and improve human welfare. National studies developed with support of MI showed that conventional thinking about long term planning was often incomplete, and that investments in primary education, health, and environment – while often requiring time to pay off – were critical to creating sustainable long-term outcomes and equitable impacts.

Jerry came to believe that a small number of “guiding institutions” were so influential in the success or failure of sustainability, that it was critical to advocate with them to support a transition to sustainability. He met, encouraged, and worked with many individuals embedded in institutions who sought change, and believed in the power of helping institutions change from within. Among the “guiding institutions” are Religion and Spirituality; Government; Agriculture, Labor, Industry, and Commerce; Education; the Arts and Communication Media; Science and Medicine; International Intergovernmental Organizations; and Civil Society. Jerry committed his life work to advocating with these institutions to understand and support sustainability – including social, economic, and environmental policy changes.

Under Jerry’s leadership, the Millennium Institute worked with many of the “guiding institutions,” including dozens of national governments, often working with civil society, universities and business. Wide ranging international partners included General Motors, The Carter Center, University of Bergen, the World Bank, United Nations Development and Environment Programmes, and the Canadian International Development Agency. These partnerships helped nations in the Global South and Global North to research and advocate for policies and plans to create more sustainable and equitable futures.

At the time of his retirement in 2005, the Institute had worked with more than 40 countries on studies of their future, many of them using the integrated Threshold 21 computer model, which is now called the Integrated Sustainable Development Goals (iSDG) model. In 2017 Jerry and his colleagues at Millennium Institute were honored with the prestigious Applications Award by the System Dynamics Society for the creation of Threshold 21. Jerry was known for being a good listener and partner, especially with policy leaders from the Global South whose visions, voices, concerns, experiences, and goals were often dismissed by powerful global institutions. Today the Millennium Institute continues to make an impact in the world by bridging communication and understanding between national and international partners through training and support for national and regional studies using innovative integrated planning tools, dialogue, and advocacy.

Under Jerry’s leadership, MI also became involved with the Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, to encourage religious and spiritual leaders to adopt and advocate for policies that support environmental and social development and equity. In doing this, he said that he angered some of his environmental friends, who felt that religions ignored, or even perpetuated, environmental damage and poverty in favor of a focus on the afterlife. However, seeing religion and spirituality as one of the guiding institutions that could influence a transition to sustainability, Jerry knew that bridge building was important, and felt that it was critical to work with the Council. The Council staged a 1993 centennial celebration of the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions and invited Jerry to give the keynote address before 8,000 attendees, including leaders of some 200 religious and spiritual traditions. As background for the keynote, Millennium Institute published Global 2000 Revisited to provide updated projections to urge actions among religious and spiritual leaders. Today, some prominent religious and spiritual traditions (though by no means all) are beginning to embrace care for the Earth and human connection with the Earth. Jerry’s work with religions was especially inspired by the late Father Thomas Berry’s books, including The Dream of the Earth.

Among Jerry’s other innovations through MI were a collaboration with former Prime Minister of Iceland, Steingrímur Hermannson, and then-President Madame Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, to mark the coming of the year 2000 at a cultural and historical site, Thingvellír, in Iceland, to help usher in a time of greater commitment to sustainability; and a partnership with some Lutheran colleges and universities in the Midwestern US to teach undergraduate students to conduct national studies of developing countries using integrated analysis of social, economic, and environmental issues.

Late Career: Our Task

Throughout his career, Jerry mentored and helped create opportunities for people he met around the world, to help ensure their voice was heard and help them obtain access to education and other resources to support their careers and advocacy. This did not stop when he retired from Millennium Institute in 2005. Jerry then founded another nonprofit called Our Task, and Carol once again played a significant role in supporting the organization and its work. Inspired in part by John Greenleaf Whittier’s poem “Seed-Time and Harvest”, Jerry felt that the last part of his life should be devoted to passing his life’s work on to a younger generation.

The mission of Our Task was to give young people not only an understanding of the problems their generation would face, but also the tools to solve the problems and the confidence that it could be done. He recruited motivated students from local high schools, and in later years from colleges and graduate schools, even raising funds to create paid internships.

Over four years, Our Task educated four classes of interns, both in the US and around the world in countries such as Malawi. Students not only learned about environmental science and economics but about activism, project management, video production, web design, and fundraising, they also learned to speak out. Our Task partnered with a local media education organization, Arlington Independent Media, to produce a youth-led news program, News of the Future. Our Task also held three “Earth 2100” conferences which were organized by the interns, who presented their research results and recommendations each year, including the Global 2100 Report, which was encouraged by President Carter, and the Youth Earth Plan. Youth gained valuable skills, knowledge, experience, and inspiration for their developing careers. In Addition, Jerry and Our Task members were honored by George Mason University by asking them to design and teach portions of their undergraduate course, Introduction to Global Affairs.

Family and Friends

In the early 1980s, Jerry and Carol became members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Falls Church, Virginia, and started a weekly discussion forum that focused on a wide range of social, environmental, ethical, and economic issues that remained active for more than four decades. In addition, he and Carol met with a group of friends from Holy Trinity over dinner at different homes each month to discuss similar topics. This “Friday Night Group” has also continued to meet for over 40 years and some of the members became active in Jerry’s work with Millennium Institute and Our Task.

Even as a child, Jerry had questions about religion. During confirmation class at the family’s church, he asked the pastor, “why did God stop talking to us?” referring to the long period between the creation of the Bible and today. Jerry never stopped reading, wondering, and asking questions about religion throughout his life. Although he became disillusioned with organized religion in his later years, he was always eager to have conversations about humankind, science, culture, and spirituality, including with his palliative care doctor in his last weeks.

As a young father Jerry played the guitar and sang with his family. Later he loved listening to music, including the classical guitar works of John Williams, Julian Bream, and Andres Segovia; the Earth-inspired jazz of the Paul Winter Consort; the folk music of Arlo Guthrie and Peter, Paul and Mary, and of international artists such as Manu Chao and Buena Vista Social Club. “Alice’s Restaurant” was a favorite to listen to in his last years while walking laps around the house for exercise. He also enjoyed home concerts and plays with family members who include singers, songwriters, playwrights, and musicians.

The son of a farmer and mechanic, he inherited his father’s craftsmanship and built numerous home and garden improvements in the family home in Arlington, Virginia, including a loft in the garage, extensive garden improvements, and built-in book shelves. When his grandchildren Natalie and Thomas began to visit, he built an attic playground called “Bear Park Theater” with a swing, a stage, and a large basket of costumes. He was a great storyteller and entertained friends, relatives, and especially grandchildren with many stories of his childhood, which he collected into a self-published book entitled Rt. 3, Box 614: Growing Up on a Small Oregon Farm. Natalie and Thomas knew him as “Pakinah,” a name given to him by Natalie as a toddler.

Most of all, he loved and appreciated his wife Carol, who was a constant source of partnership, wisdom, strength, and comfort to him throughout their 58-year marriage, and who worked hard to support his professional work while having her own careers in nursing and special education. Carol hosted the Millennium Institute board, staff, and overseas visitors for dinners and parties at the family home for about two decades. She accompanied Jerry on many trips to foreign countries, and they developed close friendships in China, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland, among other places. He also loved and was proud of his three children, Bill, Kris, and Steve. In his later years, Carol was often his caregiver and a fierce advocate for his health and well-being. Jerry’s greatest sorrow was at the deaths of Steve in May of 2020, and of Carol in August of 2020 in the final months of his life. Their obituaries are found here: Steve and Carol.

Passing

Jerry lived his life to the fullest despite health challenges starting in the year 2001, including heart surgery, thyroid cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and prostate cancer. Having purpose and relationships helped him stay active, generous, and curious through his last years. One of his final acts was to donate his brain to scientific research on neuropathology. Jerry passed away peacefully in the presence of his family on September 9, 2020. Over his long life, Jerry was an example and an inspiration to countless people, including friends, family, students, colleagues, young folks, and even some people that he never knew. Although he never sought acclaim, he was deeply respected for his determination, innovation, truth-telling, and hard work. His legacy will persist for generations, and if human civilization ever achieves a sustainable balance between humankind and the Earth, his work and inspiration of others will have helped to make that possible.

PREFERRED CHARITIES FOR DONATIONS IN MEMORY OF JERRY

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS - UKRAINE

FAIRFIGHT (note: donations to FairFight are not tax deductible in the US)

FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE - EUROPE or FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE - US

FUTURE EARTH – EARLY CAREERS PROJECT

GLOBAL FOOTPRINT NETWORK

WAMU 88.5, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY RADIO

WETA PUBLIC TELEVISION

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