John ‘Skipper’ Barry
Beloved Father, Grandfather and Brother
TEWKSBURY, MA - LONDONDERRY, NH – John Leo “Skipper” Barry, 83, a longtime resident of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and North Carolina, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2022, at his home in North Carolina, with his longtime partner Laura by his side.
John was born in Wakefield, MA to Helen (McManamin) and Edward Barry. He grew up in Wakefield, graduating from Wakefield Memorial High School in 1958. He met and married Pauline (Conway) in Wakefield, before joining the United States Marine Corps. He was stationed in Oahu, Hawaii where their first son was born. When his tour concluded, they returned home to Massachusetts and raised their two sons, John (Chip) and Kevin, and daughter Lisa, in Tewksbury.
John enjoyed a long and committed career with the Gulf Oil Company. He worked as a Plant Manager, while also serving as the Union President, before finally retiring in early 2000. After retirement, John and Pauline moved to Londonderry, NH, where they stayed until Pauline’s passing in 2010, after 47 joyous years of marriage. John spent his remaining years traveling around the country visiting family and friends before he chose to settle in North Carolina. He could often be found taking walks in area parks, visiting historical sites, and attending local cruise nights with his “hot rod”.
John is survived by his three children (John Barry and his wife Patti, Kevin Barry and his wife Karen, Lisa Laurencio and her husband Manny), seven grandchildren (Matt, Meghan, Emily, Ryan, Justin, Ava, Desmond, and Jillian), his brother Mark Barry and his wife Katie, his sister Maureen Conway and her husband John, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in passing by his sisters Kathleen Barry and Ellen Janes.
In lieu of flowers, John would like you to have a toast for him...
Family and friends will be gathering to honor John on Saturday, August 19th at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Williams Church, 1351 Main Street Tewksbury.