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Treibel -- Walter E. Treibel, 80, a resident of Albuquerque since the early 1940s, died on Monday, May 24, 1999. He was preceded in death by his wife, Harriet in 1985; and his daughter, Susy Sanders in 1998. He is survived by his son, Wayne Treibel and his wife, Karen, their children, Adam and Ashley; son, Steven Treibel and his wife, Elizabeth, and their son, Daniel; sister, Marion Norkin of New Jersey; grandson, Michael Fisk; son-in-law, James Sanders; and brother-in-law, Robert J. Pringle and his wife, Dorothy of Alabama. Mr. Treibel graduated from the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute in New York in 1943 as a Mechanical Engineer. He then worked in an airplane manufacturing facility back east. Some of his associates and classmates requested his assistance on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, NM, though he did not want to move west. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944 and sent to Los Alamos, NM as a Technical Master Sergeant. He was the inventor of the trigger mechanism for the first nuclear weapon. He was in the North Bunker at the Trinity Site (First Atomic Bomb Test), in New Mexico. He was one of the original members of the Z-Division of Sandia National Labs. He designed and developed many weapons systems over the span of 38 years at Sandia National Labs. He retired from Sandia in the early 1980s. His career was filled with many accommodations, recommendations, and personal references, including some notable ones from Robert J. Oppenheimer, Alvin Graves, George Landry, and many others. Walt was an avid walker at Winrock Mall. He had many friends in the Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and Livermore Communities. His life was a treasure for all to remember. Cremation has taken place and memorial services will be held Sunday, May 30, 1999, 1:30 p.m., at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 114 Carlisle SE, with Rev. John Wild officiating. The family would like to express appreciation to Health South Rehabilitation Center, Vista Del Rio Retirement Center, and Sunrise Mission Manor for their compassionate care. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Parkinson's Disease Assoc., 1250 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10305; or to the American Cancer Society, Attn: Anne Martin, 5800 Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108. French Mortuary, 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE.
        Published on: Fri May 28, 1999