Louis Douglas 'Doug' Barbaloving husband, father, grandfather and friend, died peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, at his home in Norwich, Vermont on Sunday, February 26, 2017. Doug was 69 years old.

Doug was born to Louis Robert Barba and Jean Dorothy Schill in Orange, New Jersey on April 6, 1947. The second of five children, Doug grew up in Short Hills, NJ and graduated from Milburn High School. At the Barba family home that he built with his father in Stowe, VT, Doug became an expert skier and ski patroller. Doug loved to sail and his first boat was a little blue and white sunfish, followed by a day sailor which the family towed behind the car for endless adventures.

Studying hard and getting a good education were important lessons that Doug instilled in his family. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received a B.A. in Economics and Political Science. It was at UNC that Doug was a loyal brother of the Chi Psi Fraternity and he established lifelong friendships that lasted until his death. Doug was also a member of the UNC varsity soccer team. Following UNC, Doug received a BA in Finance from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and an MBA in Finance from Columbia University.

Doug's exemplary leadership as an executive in the cogeneration power industry will leave a positive impact on future generations. Doug had a unique ability to bring people together to work toward a common goal. He was an innovative thinker and problem solver and his relationships were sincere. For over thirty years, Doug lead the financings and development of numerous significant cogeneration plants globally which included cutting edge technologies in wind, coal, hydropower, biomass and natural gas. Most recently, Doug was the project leader and management team member for Lake Charles Methanol, LLC., Lake Charles, LA, the largest gasification project under development in the United States. Doug worked tirelessly throughout his career and still took the time to make personal connections.

Most importantly, Doug lived every minute for his family, the generations that preceded him and those to follow. He was forever in love and devoted to his wife of 42 years, Betty Harris Barba of Norwich, VT. Their adventures began when they met skiing at Stowe in 1973. Doug had special connections with his youngest sister Susan B. Welch of Newton, MA and his Aunt Susan V. Barba of New Vernon, NJ. Doug's children and grandchildren brought him the utmost joy and he was actively involved in their lives on a daily basis. He instilled in them the importance of education, hard work and doing the right thing. Doug was modest and he gave selflessly in his community when he saw a need in ways that none of us will ever fully know. Simple moments with his grandchildren thrilled him with endless love. Special memories include: tossing pebbles into the river; picking out sneakers; riding a bus around town to go out to lunch, and sitting down in his cozy chair reading books, smiling. He will forever be their "Papa".

Doug's adventurous spirit included sailing in Nantucket and Rhode Island, skiing in Stowe, Vail and Alta, fly fishing on the Big Hole River in Melrose, MT, cycling across Texas, photography, family vacations and planting thousands of beautiful unique daffodils, "for Betty" he would say.

For more than four years, Doug waged the toughest battle of his life against multiple myeloma. Doug's love of life and his indomitable spirit enabled him to persevere with courage and determination. The Barba family will always be deeply grateful for the extraordinary care from everyone at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, especially Dr. Elizabeth M. Bengtson.

His mother and father, Jean and Lou Barba, precede him in death. He is survived by his wife Betty, his four siblings, his children Jenny Barba and husband, Christopher Coughlin, of Norwich, VT, and Ryan Barba and wife, Katie Barba, of Dillon, MT, and his four delightful grandchildren: Silas, James, Charles and Amelie.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, March 3, 2017 at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church 262 Main Street, Norwich, VT 05055.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation in Doug's name at https://tribute.themmrf.org/dougbarba (MMRF, 383 Main Ave., 5th Flr. Norwalk, CT 06851) or "In Memory of Doug Barba" for the Byrne Center for Palliative Care, Children and Family Services, payable to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health (Attn: Development Office, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756).

Arrangements are under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.