Barry A. Reik

Barry passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, after facing a bout of prostate cancer these past four years. Barry was the third of five children born to Leroy and Marion Reik in Milwaukee Wisconsin. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Continuing his interest in geology, he moved to Tallahassee Florida, attending Florida State University where he received his Master's degree.
In Milwaukee, he worked as a welder and heat treater at Wehr Steel, the company where his father had worked as a heat treat foreman, and where his brothers Bob and Bill were also employed. After he received his degree in Geology, he began his career as a petrophysicist for Chevron Corporation in New Orleans, LA. He then moved to Lafayette, LA, and Fullerton CA, before settling in San Ramon where he made his home with wife, Lynne, and daughters, Dana and Zoe.

Barry was devoted to transportation in many forms. He traveled extensively throughout the USA and all over the world, both for his job and for pleasure. He was an inspiring teacher in widespread places, training others to find oil, the resource that fueled so many of the vehicles he enjoyed. Barry was an avid motorcyclist fond of long excursions through the countryside. He loved streetcars and interurban railroad lines, avidly devouring books and magazine articles about them and enthusiastically sought out museums devoted to them.

Barry helped coordinate and teach petrophysical training courses for Chevron all over North America as well as in the U.K., Indonesia, China, Australia, Angola, Nigeria, and Libya, and Argentina. He was dedicated to ensuring trainees learned petrophysics fundamentals and the workings of measurement technology. His expertise using mineral-based log analysis was unsurpassed and he took every opportunity to mentor new users. Barry made many contributions to Formation Evaluation at Chevron. Through the many students and colleagues he worked with, his legacy will live on for a long time.

Barry seemed to always have an automobile project, from his beloved 1959 Cadillac to his fleet of Volvos and a1958 Fiat. He will be remembered for being quick witted, funny, and intelligent, with an infectious laugh He had a lifelong love of music and food. His neighbors remember him as the go-to-guy for any home handyman problems, and his friends will remember him as a man who would always be ready to share his heart and to lend a hand.

Barry is survived by his loving wife, Lynne, of 29 years, and his daughters Dana and Zoe as well as mother Marion (the late LeRoy) Reik; mother-in-law Gloria (the late Bernard) Cohen; brother the late Robert (Mary Reik); sister Barbara (Wayne Schneider); brothers Bruce (Joe Witkowski); and William Reik. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. He was one of the "good guys" and will be missed more than anyone can say.

A Celebration of Barry's Life will be held at the Reik residence, 27 Playa Court, San Ramon on Sunday, June 14th at 2 PM. Please join us for an afternoon of remembrance and celebration. Bring stories, memories, fond thoughts and food (this is a potluck)! In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cancer Research Institute http://www.cancerresearch.org/