- Families First Funeral Care & Cremation Center Savannah, Georgia - https://www.familiesfirstcare.com -

Hugh Campbell Barrett, III

Posted By Kyle Nikola On February 26, 2021 @ 10:47 am In Obituaries | No Comments

It is with great sadness that we share the peaceful passing of Hugh Campbell Barrett III on February 23, 2021.  A former resident of Darien and Greenwich, Connecticut, and most recently Savannah, Georgia, Terry, as he was known to all, was born on October 22, 1943 in Orange, New Jersey to Hugh Campbell Barrett Jr. and Virginia Griggs Barrett (later Virginia Griggs Riggs).  Raised by his mother and step-father, Thomas J. Riggs Jr., in Shaker Heights, Ohio and Providence, Rhode Island, Terry attended the Moses Brown School and went on to graduate from Harvard University in 1965.  Following Harvard, Terry continued his dedication to scholarship by obtaining his doctorate in Organic Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1969 and then his law degree from Stanford Law School in 1972.  Upon graduation from law school, Terry returned to the Northeast and began a distinguished career as a litigator.  Terry was part of the initial group of patent lawyers with chemical/biotech Ph.D.s that developed important parts of the patent law in what was then a fledgling biotech industry.  As a pioneering Ph.D./J.D. practitioner, Terry specialized in trying the most complex patent litigation disputes in courts across the United States and was part of some of the defining cases of that era.  A brilliant scientist himself, Terry shone at explaining complex scientific concepts to judges and juries, using his considerable charm to translate chemical formulas and arcane statutes into winning cases.

Terry was an extraordinary lawyer, but his interests and accomplishments transcended the law.  A true renaissance man and committed autodidact, Terry explored and became expert at a variety of diverse passions.  As his friends and family will attest, he refused merely to dabble in hobbies, instead driving himself to become a true master at each of his pursuits.  Perhaps his greatest endeavor was his music, particularly the guitar, which he pursued throughout his life—mastering classical acoustic technique by studying Andres Segovia, moving on to jazz guitar guided by the work of Les Paul and Django Reinhardt, playing in various rock bands (including most recently through his weekly gigs with his dear friend Ray Williams playing standards at retirement homes in Savannah), and even detouring to become an expert in the 5-string banjo according to the stylings of Earl Scruggs.  A fierce competitor, Terry also excelled at sports and games.  He loved tennis, but was perhaps even more comfortable in his beloved pool halls, where his fellow players (and legions of his law-firm summer associates) quickly learned that a tournament-level billiards champion hid behind his lawyerly facade.  Finally, no story of Terry would be complete without mention of his special love for and skill at the Rubik’s Cube.  First introduced to the puzzle in the early 1980s as a member of the trial team that litigated the many patent disputes against its early knock-offs, Terry soon trained himself to solve the cube in record times, including an unofficial best of 65 seconds (record-class for the 1980s-era cubes), impressing the client, juries, and his family at every turn.

Terry is survived by his beloved wife Patricia; his children Jennifer Barrett (Kevin Reed) and Campbell Barrett (Suzanna Tamminen); his five grandchildren, T.J. and Campbell Killian, and Hugh, Chris, and Silas Barrett; and his siblings, Barbara Barrett Powers, Geoffrey G. Riggs, Robin R. Riggs, Rory B. Riggs, Merry Murray Meade, and Lindsay Barrett George.

A family memorial to honor Terry’s life is being planned for when circumstances permit.  Donations in Terry’s honor may be made to The Cancer Research Institute, whose pioneering work into immunotherapy is something Terry appreciated as both a scientist and a patient.  (https://www.cancerresearch.org/join-the-cause/donate/one-time-donation [1])  For more information on their innovations, please see https://www.cancerresearch.org/immunotherapy/cancer-types/lung-cancer.

Offer Condolence for the family of Hugh Campbell Barrett, III [2]

Print This Obituary & Condolences [3] Print This Obituary & Condolences [3]

Condolences for the family of “Hugh Campbell Barrett, III”

Article printed from Families First Funeral Care & Cremation Center Savannah, Georgia: https://www.familiesfirstcare.com

URL to article: https://www.familiesfirstcare.com/hugh-campbell-barrett-iii/

URLs in this post:

[1] https://www.cancerresearch.org/join-the-cause/donate/one-time-donation: https://www.cancerresearch.org/join-the-cause/donate/one-time-donation

[2] Offer Condolence for the family of Hugh Campbell Barrett, III: https://www.familiesfirstcare.com/hugh-campbell-barrett-iii/#respond

[3] Image: https://www.familiesfirstcare.com/hugh-campbell-barrett-iii/print/

Copyright © 2016 Families First Funeral Care & Cremation Center. All rights reserved.