Obituaries

Mr. Proto was born in New Haven, Conn., and was a graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut. He received a master's degree in mathematics from Boston College in 1964.

He sometimes performed in classical and folk music concerts on guitar. He also enjoyed walking in the mountains and had a vacation home in Mercersburg, Pa.

He lived in Laurel for many years and was a founder of the Antonio Gatto Lodge of the Sons of Italy in Laurel. He also served on a planning committee of the intercounty connector.

His marriage to Jeanne Rosner Proto ended in divorce.

Survivors include his companion of 18 years, Ellen Rabe of Columbia; three children from his marriage, Elissa Proto Carter of Catonsville, Md., Christopher Proto of Washington and Vanessa Proto of Baltimore; a brother, Neil Proto of Washington; and a sister, Diana Avino of Clinton, Conn.

-- Matt Schudel

Allan M. BiggarEngineer, Inventor

Allan M. Biggar, 90, an engineer and inventor at what's now known as the Adelphi Laboratory Center, died of respiratory failure July 4 at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington County.

Mr. Biggar worked at what was then called the Diamond Ordnance Fuze Laboratories from 1958 until 1981, when he retired.

He came to Washington in 1942 to be a project engineer on fuzes for munitions in the Army's Office of the Chief of Ordnance. That proximity fuze group was among the first to move into the Pentagon as soon as the building's first wing was completed.

Mr. Biggar was born in Tampa and graduated from the University of Florida. He initially worked as a chemist for the Florida highway department.