Jeanine LUGO of Don BARLOW

COL Jeanine LUGO says about Don BARLOW.

I was shocked and saddened to hear about Don's death this week. He was one of my favorite bosses and mentors throughout my Army career. I thoroughly enjoyed my nearly 3 years as his XO when he was stationed at Ft Ben Harrison in the mid-80s.

When I was stationed at FBH after the advanced course, I was seriously thinking of leaving the Army at the 7 year mark. But COL Barlow took me under his mentorship, ensured that I got off on time to make it to my graduate classes at night, and showed me that there was so much more to the Army than what I had seen previously. For that I will be eternally grateful. 

We kept in contact throughout the years as he and Bobbie followed my career, keeping in touch through Christmas notes and the occasional phone call. He always added a newsy handwritten note to his Christmas cards, telling me about their most recent adventure that he and Bobbie were planning. (Or was it Bobbie doing the planning, and he was the enthusiastic supporter?!!)

We last talked in January, and compared notes about how we had just missed seeing each other on recent trips to Hawaii and his upcoming trip to the East. The previous year we had also just missed seeing them while we were in Hilton Head, because he and Bobbie had been off on another one of their trips! From Don Jr's note, I see that they did make it to China, and I'm sure that those memories will be comforting to Bobbie and the entire family. He and Bobbie both had a zest for living life in its fullest.

I had hoped to see the both of them in October 2012 at the next Retired Finance Officer Reunion.

My deepest condolences to the entire family. You can be proud of the life that he lived. Don was one of the "good guys" who has left this earth way too early. But his legacy lives on forever in those whose lives he touched. He will be missed.