Barry Block ’55

Barry, a physics professor, pioneer semiconductor physicist, and entrepreneur, died Feb. 7, 2000, of lung cancer in Mountain View, Calif. He was born in NYC and reared in Hightstown, N.J., where he attended high school and played in the band and orchestra. At Princeton, Barry joined Terrace Club and majored in physics and mathematics.

Barry earned a doctorate from MIT. From 1965-72, he was a professor at UC-San Diego. He also taught at the U. of Maryland. He later became a self-employed semiconductor physicist and consultant to major Silicon Valley companies. Barry held scores of patents. He cofounded the Aerial Images Corp. and codeveloped an insulin drug delivery system.

Barry loved to tell friends, "I'm just a poor old chicken farmer." He had helped his Lithuanian immigrant parents feed 150,000 chickens. He also raised a few chickens at his Los Altos hilltop home.

The class extends its deep sympathy to Judith, Barry's wife of 33 years, and his children, Susanna, Thaddeus, and Maya.

The Class of 1955