Gwenlynne B. Pike

Gwenlynne B. Pike, age 79, died peacefully in her sleep on September 9. In 1942 she was born in Pittsburgh, PA to Russell and Finis Durkee Barr and raised in the suburb of Avalon. Lynne married Gordon Pike in 1964 after she graduated from the U. of Pittsburgh and they spent 57 loving anniversaries together first in the Pittsburgh area, then Albuquerque, NM, and finally in Annandale, VA. She began her career as an elementary school teacher later specializing in young severely disabled children. She was promoted to Assistant Principal for the special education children in her school. After earning her Ph. D. in special education from the U. New Mexico in 1981 she was appointed to direct the fledgling Child Find/Early Childhood Education program for all of the Albuquerque Public Schools, and retired from this position in 1997. Throughout her educational career she was active and held leadership positions in several local, state and national professional organizations. These included president of the Albuquerque Career Services for the Handicapped, president of the NM Council of Administrators of Special Education, and for many years one of two NM representatives to the national Council for Exceptional Children. She is pre-deceased by her parents and her older brother Hugh Barr. She is survived by her loving husband and son Tony Pike. Following a pending memorial service at Demaine Funeral Home in Springfield, VA she will be interred at the Allegheny County Memorial Park near Pittsburgh. In lieu of flowers the family requests a donation to Susan G Komen for the Cure, 901 E St NW, Washington, DC 20004.