Bartholomew Barry Jr.

LENOX -- Bartholomew D. Barry Jr., 85, of 29 Big Wood Drive, died Monday at his daughter's Westfield home after a short illness.

Born in Lawrence on July 27, l920, son of Bartholomew David and Ellen Ita Gabbett Barry, he was a 1938 graduate of Searles High School in Methuen, where he played on the football team and was captain of the track team. He attended Cushing Academy, and went on to earn a degree in engineering at the University of Vermont.

Mr. Barry served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, becoming a lieutenant assigned as a navigator to B-24 Liberators based near Bari, Italy. He flew 32 bombing missions over Europe and was awarded a group citation with two clusters, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Silver Star and Purple Heart.

He was employed by the New England Electric System in 1946, becoming a power sales engineer two years later. He became a registered professional engineer. He continued his education with advanced management training programs at Northeastern University, the Stone & Webster Co., Northeast Utilities and the Electric Council of New England. In l956, he joined the Western Massachusetts Electric Co. as commercial sales supervisor for the Springfield District, and became commercial sales manager in l968. He was then named director of commercial and industrial sales and, in l970, manager of the Berkshire district for the Western Massachusetts region.

He was active in community affairs, serving as chairman of several organizations, including the Central Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, the Downing Industrial Park Committee, the Berkshire Manpower Planning Council and the Pittsfield Resource Recovery Commission, where he spearheaded the creation of the Vicon recovery plant. He also served on the Berkshire County Development Commission, the Junior Achievement Advisory Board, the United Way and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and was a director of Bank of Boston, Western Mass. He was a longtime member of the Rotary Club.

The Barry family lived in Methuen, North Adams, East Longmeadow and Pittsfield. For the past several years, he resided in Lenox.

He and his wife, the former Barbara Lillian Lane, were married June 5, l944.

Besides his wife, he leaves a daughter, Kathleen Freme of Westfield; four sons, William Barry of Portland, Maine, Robert Barry of Pittsfield, Daniel Barry of Ann Arbor, Mich., and John Barry of Lenox; 11 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.

FUNERAL NOTICE -- A memorial service for Mr. Bartholomew D. Barry Jr., who died Monday, May 29, 2006, will be held Friday, June 2, 2006, at 10 a.m. at WELLINGTON FUNERAL HOME with Father Daniel Brunton officiating. Burial will follow in the Pittsfield Cemetery. There will be no calling hours. Donations in his memory may be made to the Pittsfield Rotary Club Foundation in care of the funeral home, 220 East St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Above all, he was devoted to his wife and family and left a legacy that all people are to be treated fairly. His wife, Barbara Lillian Lane, was a UVM graduate and the love of his life. The couple enjoyed 51 years of marriage. He is predeceased by his parents and his brother, John Barry.