Obituaries

Besides his son, survivors include two children, David A. Stevens of Thurmont, and Mary Dolly Stevens of Purcellville; and four grandchildren.

S. Thomas StathesArchitect

S. Thomas Stathes, 93, an architect who was also involved in real estate and banking, died Dec. 31 at Brighton Gardens nursing home in North Bethesda of complications from Parkinson's disease.

Mr. Stathes was born in New York to parents who were recent immigrants from Issari, Greece. The family moved to Washington when he was an infant. He graduated from McKinley Technical High School and from Catholic University's architecture school in 1933.

He was a graduate instructor at CU and won numerous competitive medals and awards for design, including being named a multiyear finalist for the Rome Prize scholarship.

He won the Paris Prize for Architecture in 1938, which led to his attendance at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris for a year, until the outbreak of World War II.

From the time of his graduation until 1942, he also worked as a practicing architect for several private firms and the government. While working at the War Department, he participated in the design of the Pentagon. One of his design renderings is in the National Archives.

Mr. Stathes served as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers in Europe during the war, attaining the rank of captain.

After the war, he returned to Washington, where he established an architectural firm. During his career, he designed a wide range of private and public buildings. With his brother, Peter Stathes, he founded and operated a Washington real estate company, Consolidated Properties. In the 1950s, he was also a founder and secretary of Montgomery Federal Savings and Loan in Kensington, which no longer exists.

Mr. Stathes, a Silver Spring resident, designed his home in Woodside Park.

Active in professional and civic affairs, he was a member of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Reciprocity Club, for which he served as president of the Washington chapter and international secretary. He was also a member of the American Institute of Architects and served as president of the Washington chapter.

He was a member of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington and was on its board of trustees.

A lifelong pigeon fancier, Mr. Stathes raised and raced birds for more than 70 years.

His marriage to Eileen Pincombe ended in divorce. A son from that marriage, Brian P. Stathes, died in 1971.

Besides his brother of Kensington, survivors include his wife, Joanne Stathes, whom he married in 1971, of Silver Spring; a son from his first marriage, Christopher T. Stathes of Rockville; a stepson, John Forbes of Silver Spring; two sisters, Christine Coppage of Nokesville, and Jane Cook of Kensington; and five grandchildren.

Richard C. BarnhartComputer Specialist, Musician

Richard C. Barnhart, 65, a former minister, Army Special Forces member, IBM systems specialist and bluegrass musician, died of gangrene Dec. 19 at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington. He was a 45-year resident of Arlington.

Mr. Barnhart worked for IBM for 30 years, retiring in 1993. He specialized in mainframe computers.

He was born in Buffalo and graduated from the University of Buffalo. After college, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds but opted to attend seminary at Martin Luther Seminary and Augsburg College in Minneapolis, earning master's degrees in theology in 1958. He worked briefly as a Lutheran pastor in Buffalo.

During the Korean War, Mr. Barnhart volunteered for the Army and was a tank driver during the post-hostilities peacekeeping phase. He served on several domestic bases and volunteered for Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, N.C., eventually making 200 successful parachute jumps.

He was sent to Vietnam early in the 1960s, working for the CIA in undercover positions, and was responsible for rescuing downed military air crews, killing enemy snipers and disrupting Viet Cong operations. He was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action and conspicuous bravery after the infantry battalion he was accompanying was ambushed. Mr. Barnhart, then a master sergeant, jumped on the back of truck, seized a .50-caliber machine gun and several automatic weapons, and fired into the enemy forces, discarding each gun as it ran out of ammunition. His action enabled the infantry battalion to take cover.

After the Vietnam War, he became a folk songwriter and was acquainted with the trio Peter, Paul and Mary. He then switched to bluegrass, developing a technique for using the dulcimer, ordinarily a folk instrument, in traditional bluegrass songs. Mr. Barnhart organized a bluegrass band called Rapid Run that played for a number of years in the 1970s and 1980s at the former O'Carroll's club in Arlington.

He helped found the Capitol Area Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association and played in the Capitol Gospel Band for four years before suffering a stroke, which prevented him from playing the guitar.

Mr. Barnhart was a volunteer youth sports coach. He also enjoyed bowling.

He had no immediate survivors.