Dr. Francis Hutton Barron, 80, passed away on December 9, 2019, at Springmoor in Raleigh. He was a teacher, scholar, Presbyterian elder, avid golfer, devoted husband and loving father and grandfather.
The son of the Rev. N.G. and Ruby Hutton Barron, he was born in Columbia, SC, and grew up in Georgia, graduating from high school in Americus, GA, in 1957. He was an enthusiastic Boy Scout, earning Eagle Scout and attending the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and the International Boy Scout Jamboree in Ontario, Canada in 1956.
Hutton graduated from Davidson College in 1961 with Phi Betta Kappa honors and earned a master’s degree in mathematics from Brown University in 1964.
He attended the U.S. Army Infantry Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning, GA, graduating in 1964 and then was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He served two years of active duty as an intelligence officer at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland, before being honorably discharged with the rank of captain. Thanks to the G.I. Bill, Hutton was able to pursue and earn a doctorate in operations research at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1970.
His academic career began at the University of Kansas, where he worked from 1970-1982, rising to the rank of professor. He then worked as a professor and department chairman at the University of Alabama from 1983-2000.
During his career, he was published in numerous journals and a consistent contributor to the Subjective Probability Utility and Decision Making Conference, a biennial, international conclave of leading academics in his fields of management science and decision making. He retired to Pinehurst, NC, where he enjoyed playing golf and spending summers at Grandfather Mountain.
Throughout his life, he was a loyal and active member of the Presbyterian Church USA, serving as an elder in numerous communities. He was also a trustee of United Presbyterians of Wilcox County, AL, a member of the Board of Visitors at both Davidson College and Presbyterian College, and a member of the Board of Trustees of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA.
Hutton is survived by Sibylle Janssen Barron, his wife of 56 years; his son, Andrew Barron (Karen O’Mansky) of Durham, son William Barron (Shea) of Charlotte, son James Barron (Jane) of Tuscaloosa, AL, and daughter Laura Barron Ryan (Stephen) of Raleigh; his brother, the Rev. Dr. William “Bill” Barron of Knoxville, TN; his sisters Lucie Barron Eggleston of Columbia, SC, and Sarah Barron Labadie of Atlanta, GA; and his nine grandchildren.
Gifts in memory of Hutton Barron may be made to North Raleigh Presbyterian Church at 11905 Strickland Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613, or to Davidson College, Davidson, NC, 28035.
A memorial service will be held at North Raleigh Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. on January 4, 2020.
Online condolences can be made at www.CremationSocietyNC.com
Published in The News & Observer on Dec. 15, 2019