William Day Barrowman

William Day Barrowman died Feb. 3, due to kidney failure and complications from a fall. He was 79.  

Barrowman was born in Sacramento on Aug.14, 1938. He started his mechanical career repairing garbage trucks in Sacramento. Knowing that he needed a better career, he began working for Aerojet Corp. as a driver in the explosives transportation department and eventually Aerojet hired him as an explosives technician.

Some years later he was hired to work at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as an explosives technician at Site 300 in Tracy and was a reserve Tracy Police Officer for many years. Barrowman worked as a bunker technician for years and eventually moved to Livermore to work on one of the gas guns. After many years, he transferred to Mechanical Engineering as a mechanical technician, plutonium handler and assembly technician. He had a memorable career as a handler and worked on many projects including the enhanced neutron radiation weapon, various anti-ballistic missile programs including the penetrator and the W-79 warhead project.

He retired in 1993 at the age of 55 and spent his retirement years traveling, camping and working on restoring and showing his 1963 Ford Falcon.

Barrowman was preceded into eternal life by his beloved wife Dorlene and son Patrick. He is survived by his daughter, Shannon Barrowman Walling; grandson, Dominic Nossardi; and granddaughter, Brighid Barrowman.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Horizon Christian Fellowship Church, 1300 South River Road, West Sacramento at 10 a.m. A reception will be held immediately following the service. Interment will be private.