Remembering Kip Barkley

Kip Barkley liked to hear and tell stories.

He was especially fond of humorous stories and once posted that he sees the world as if he just stepped off a flying saucer that landed in the nearest parking lot.

Kip, who passed away on July 11 at age 78, will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and sense of humor.  He served on the Board of the Florida Storytelling Association as treasurer.

He compared stories to journeys where there are twists and turns, quiet moments, and even revelations. “You come back out of the story being not quite who you were when you went in.”

His full name was George Houghton Kip Barkley.  He was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, July 5, 1944.  He settled in the Fort Lauderdale area in the 1990s.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Kristine Barkley, and a brother, William Gerhart Barkley of Charlottesville, VA., and a sister, Elizabeth Barkley Dowling of Dothan, AL.

He was a member of Saint Gregory Episcopal Church, Boca Raton, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Lauderdale, and the Covenant of the Goddess. He was active with wife Kristine in the River of Grass Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Davie, FL.

He was a graduate of Woodberry Forest School, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the University of Rhode Island graduate school in engineering.

Known as the “Computer Wizard,” he was a computer consultant and trainer at his Barkley Enterprises, Inc. which served numerous businesses in the Fort Lauderdale area.

Kip was active in Toastmasters International for more than 30 years and was a past president of the Florida Speakers Association.  He was a senior member in the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

In his career, he was employed by Lockheed, Tracor, and Planning Systems of Reston, VA.

Kip traveled twice around the world and visited most of the nation’s national parks. Listing life triumphs he would say, “To live an ethical life while walking up the down-staircase and looking to help others take the next step along their chosen path.”

Memorials may be made to Finca.org – FINCA International is a non-profit organization with a mission to alleviate poverty through lasting solutions that help people build assets, create jobs and raise their standard of living.