Kathie Rachael Barber

 Kathie Barber, whose professional career since 1980 was with Raytheon with a short detour at Rockwell Collins in the late 1990s, died in a mid-August hiking accident at Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark that claimed her life and that of her husband Gen Miake. Their deaths were a tragic truncation of this year’s carefully planned and detailed backpacking adventure that annually marked the anniversary of their August 21, 1983 wedding. She was 58; he was 60.  “Kathie’s contributions over the years to the company’s products and people spanned all businesses, functions, and even locations,” said Laurel Rudzik, Raytheon engineering manager, “We will miss her smile, her ability to give practical solutions to complex problems, her leadership example that exemplified her amazingly high standards, and her mentorship.”  “Kathie was an expert at filling white space, considering aspects of the business that others would not recognize. She had an excellent grasp of process and tools and had a strong network across the company that she leveraged quickly to solve problems,” said a Raytheon supervisor, “Kathie was an invaluable resource to the engineering leadership team.”  Kathie Rachael Barber was born on November 25, 1958 in Newport Beach, California, the daughter of William Henry Barber and Billie Ruth (West) Barber. She was authentically that rarity, a native Southern Californian who not only grew up in Santa Ana but also raised her family in nearby Yorba Linda. The Barber family cherished their dogs through the years. Nearby Knott’s Berry Farm was a favorite attraction to visit. As Kathie grew from a curlyhaired little girl in lace collared sash-tied dresses made by her mother to a long-haired young woman in the latest cat-eye glasses, her neighborhood transitioned from orange groves to suburban homes.  Kathie attended University of California, Irvine, where she met Gen doing a group project for ICS 195. When their classmate settled for a “B” effort, Kathie and Gen recognized the opportunity to exceed expectations together. She graduated in 1980 with a major in Information and Computer Sciences and subsequently earned a Master’s degree in Computer Science in 1987 from California State University at Fullerton.  As an MTS programmer who participated in the design, code and integration of software into systems, Kathie initiated her professional career at Raytheon in 1980. Three years later, she was already leading programming teams as Senior MTS programmer. A hallmark of the work her teams did was that they typically completed ahead of schedule and could be counted on to solve the toughest problems.  Except for a short detour at Rockwell Collins in the late 90s, Kathie’s trajectory at Raytheon was smoothly rising with roles of increasing responsibility. Most recently, as Senior Manager, Engineering, Kathie had that rare ability to take a lot of the struggle out of abrupt division-wide transitions. As someone to whom senior leaders could delegate, she was given full responsibility to perform any senior engineering role with confidence that she would make well-thought-out and informed decisions. Her responsibilities ranged from running six-sigma projects to serving as a valued leader as a member of the SADID technical staff.  Kathie's combination of dedication, generosity, and hard work provided a rock of stability to her friends and family. Her professional dedication often had her working on weekends and extra hours. Nevertheless, she forged consistent daily habits that focused her time on those she cared about, such as her lunchtime walks with her friends.  At home, her consistent habits included walks with Gen before work and Sunday brunches together. The reflective, effective model they shared for parenting is a legacy in their children. Kathie was an avid reader. As a football fan, her focus was like that of a coach: on understanding and appreciating all the technical aspects of the game. Horses were one of her passions, and she collected many beautiful statues and works of art in her home, showing their grace and strength.  Grateful for the kindness and support that Kathie’s and Gen’s colleagues and friends have shown, the family has selected two organizations that represent and honor distinct facets of their lives. Donations in their memories may be made at: https://www.generosity.com/memorial-fundraising/kathie-barber-gen-miake-memorial-fund  The family has found that sharing stories and conversations about Kathie and Gen is a gentle way to recognize the lives they lived so fully. Family and friends are holding a Celebration of Life to honor Kathie and Gen on September 22, 2017 in Yorba Linda.