Carl Barron, Ph.D, passed away February 16 at age 97. Predeceased by wife Ruth, parents Etta and Robert L. Barron and brother Stanley P. Barron (Lois). Survived by his daughters Diane Davis (Sidney) of Naples FL; Dr. Arlene Seal of Pittsburgh, PA; Judith Lambert (Richard) of Vista, CA; Lynne March (Harold) of Canton, MA; and son Kenneth Barron (Marian) of Weston, MA. Grandchildren Bethany Niazian, Leslie Reagan-Caer, David Seal (Marta), Adam Yawnick (Aimee), Randall Barron (Kathleen), Rebecca Litvak (Richard), and Sivana, Emelia & Robert Barron; Great-Grandchildren Nicolas & Abigail Niazian, Jace Yawnick, Ashley & Drew Barron, Ari, Alejandro, & Andres Seal, Kian Reagan- Caer, Nathan Litvak, several nieces and many dear relatives and friends.
Dr. Barron attended Arlington High School, Bowdoin College and the Harvard Business School. Although his home was Belmont for 70+years, his heart belonged to Cambridge, where he not only founded the furniture leasing industry in the US in 1938, in working a lifetime there with his wife Ruth at his side, but he also founded and ran numerous business associations that enhanced the city's reputation and well-being. Aside from his own Barron Building in Central Sq., there is the honorary Carl F. Barron Plaza, as well as many city scholarships that he and his wife established, plus honors and awards, proclamations and recognition for decades of altruistic service to Cambridge.
Often called the "Mayor of Central Sq.," he was a past-president of the International Furniture Rental Assoc., founder & chairman of ARNET, national trade association; founder & chairman, Combined Cambridge Business Associations; lifetime chairman, Honors Committee, IFRA; lifetime, honorary director, Rental Housing Assn. of Gr. Boston RE Board; Established Barron Family Fund for Judaic Studies at Widener Library, Harvard University; Established CFB Cambridge Fire Dept. Award; Established CFB Belmont Fire Department Award. In addition he received honors including Salvation Army Leadership Award, Hildebrand Family Self-Help Service Award, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce for 60 years "as a leader of business, politics, philanthropy & public relations; Cambridge Property Owners Association Award as president & co-founder, Cambridge Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves Award; Mayor's Appreciation Award for Work on Behalf of the Seniors of Cambridge, MA; CFB Chair in Marketing established at Cambridge College, the Cambridge YMCA's Spirit, Mind & Body Award. He was board member of 17 non-profit organizations; received award from Mass. Board of School Committees for giving 5 scholarships every year; Award from Middlesex District Attorney for civic involvement; established the Ruth & Carl F. Barron Cambridge Police Award and the Barron Family Public Works Dept. Award.
His personal interests included a library of over 3000 books, many on history and Judaica, extensive world travel and photography. He published an autobiography in 1991, was an author of a business manual on Psychology in Business, Life-time member, American Philatelic Society, designed furniture, jewelry and crystal, as well as developing extensive family genealogy on both sides of his family.
Dr. Barron said he might retire at age 100 and at age 90 he received an honorary doctorate from Cambridge College which established the CFB Distinguished Lecture Series and where he was a guest lecturer. He was also a guest lecturer at Bowdoin College. There were scholarships to the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, to the Cambridge Police Dept. and more. He established the Barron Center for Men's Health at Mt. Auburn Hospital where he was a member of the Board of Corporators.
His leadership in Cambridge impacted the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, the Central Square Businessmen's Asson., and the International Restaurants of Central Sq., the Cambridge Property Owner's Asson., and others. He was known as "Dr. Catalyst" for improvements among the various segments of the city and he enjoyed connecting people and groups to make a difference in the Cambridge he loved.
Nationally, Dr. Barron was recognized by the furniture leasing industry as its founder and he was a long-time mentor who promoted his industry across the country. He worked with furniture manufacturers to make furniture for a whole new concept at a time when the leasing was considered the "step-child" of the furniture industry. Putnam Furniture Leasing Company became the largest privately held furniture leasing company in the country which was sold in 2001 to CORT, a Berkshire Hathaway Company.
His family and friends were extremely important to him as he nurtured his passions of history, travel, and genealogy. He had friends all over the world with whom he stayed connected. Dr. Barron was often described as a "legend in his own time." He said he drove a hard bargain, but he was in truth, a fair and reasonable man who provided for his own, and chose to help many others. He cherished close relationships. He was a leader, a mentor... a man to be admired, respected and not forgotten.