Alden G. Barber, 83, who served as Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America from 1967 to 1976, died on Jan. 17, 2003, in Sacramento, Calif.

Barber joined the Boy Scouts at age 12 in 1931 in Chico, Calif. His professional Scouting career began in January 1941 as a field executive in Santa Monica, Calif., but was interrupted by World War II, during which he served as an Army Air Corps bombardier. He resumed his career in 1946 as field executive in Santa Monica, Calif., and later served as assistant Scout executive in West Los Angeles, and as Scout executive in Marysville, Calif., Sacramento, Calif., and Chicago, Ill. He became Chief Scout Executive in October 1967.

Barber was a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. The award is presented by the National Eagle Scout Association, an organization established in 1972 during his tenure as Chief Scout Executive.