Mary M. Barry
NORFOLK—Mary Barry, 89, died Oct. 16, 2009.
A few days beforehand, a heart attack triggered heart failure. She was born July 23, 1920 in South Boston, Mass.
On March 30, 1940 she married her childhood friend, Walter J. Barry, a 1937 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy; he retired in 1967 as a United States Navy captain. He died Feb. 15, 1998.
Her brothers, the Rev. Thomas and Fred McDonald, and sister, Gertrude Whalen, predeceased her. She was the last of her generation.
Mrs. Barry had four sons: retired U.S. Navy Capt. Thomas (Carole) Barry, USNA ‘65 of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Robert (Doty) Barry of Ivor, the Honorable William (Mary Beth) Barry, LA Superior Court, USNA ‘70 and Kevin (Christie) Barry of Richmond. Mary had seven grandchildren: Heather (Jeremy) Antonio of Jacksonville, Fla., Robert (Angie) Barry of Sedley, Jason (Jennifer) Barry of Sedley, Michael and Timothy (Jaime) Barry of Los Angeles, and Meghan and Colin Barry of Richmond; and four great-grandchildren, Blake, Brooke, Hannah and Holden of Sedley.
After Walt retired, she and he stayed in Norfolk. In August ‘97, she moved with him into Atlantic Shores. She moved from Atlantic Shores in September ‘08 to live with Bill and Mary Beth in Los Angeles.
While there, she was able to get out almost every day with a home care companion to go shopping, have lunch and see a movie. Tom and Carole visited from Florida for Mother’s Day.
Her 89th birthday was celebrated with a big party. Her grandson, Tim, got married Sept. 6. The entire family attended the wedding, including her four great-grandchildren, two of whom were the flower girls.
She walked down the aisle and had a wonderful time. Mary relished life and was a firm believer in “Have bag, will travel.” She was a loving and caring mother, an active and supportive Navy wife, an avid golfer at Sewells Point Golf Club, where she was Ladies Club Champion, and with the Tidewater Golf Association, a keen Bridge and Hearts player, and a longtime member of the Altar Guild for the Chapel at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.
She will be greatly missed by her family, her many relatives and dear friends, and her garden.
She will be buried with Walt at Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 21, 2009.
A guest book is available at: www.LAfuneral.com.
In lieu of flowers, please make checks payable to the “U.S. Naval Academy Foundation,” with the notation “Mary Barry, USNA ’37.”
Mail donations to: U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, 291 Wood Road, Beach Hall, Annapolis, MD 21402, Attn.: Tribute gifts.