John D. Barry

John D. Barry Lowell native, funeral director, WWII vet; 88 SHREWSBURY John Dolan Barry, 88, died on Saturday, November 17, at his home in Shrewsbury. He was born in Lowell, on Christmas day in 1918 to William J. and Catherine E. (Donoghue) Barry. He graduated in 1938 from Lowell High School, and in 1942 from the Boston School of Anatomy, Embalming, and Funeral Directing. A World War II veteran, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 through 1946. He began his career as a funeral director in Boston at the Crosby Funeral Home, later joining the O'Donnell Funeral Home in Lowell, before moving to Worcester to join the Sessions Funeral Home. In 1951, he formed the John Dolan Barry Funeral Home with his wife at 274 Lincoln St. in Worcester. In 1988, he merged his funeral home with the Athy Memorial Home in Worcester. Mr. Barry was a longtime volunteer for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Worcester. He was a longtime president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Bernard's Parish in Worcester, and a Board Director of the Diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Society. He was a former trustee of the Worcester Public Library, and a former trustee and board chairman of the Shrewsbury Public Library. He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. He was member of St. Mary's Parish in Shrewsbury, and a former member of St. Bernard's Parish in Worcester. His wife of 47 years, Rita A. (Hogan) Barry, died in 1994. She was also a native of Lowell. He leaves two daughters, Joan Theresa Barry and Martha Barry McKenna and her husband Kevin Michael McKenna; and a son, J. Dolan Barry and his wife, Shaune Walsh Barry, all of Shrewsbury. He also leaves five grandchildren, Siobhan McKenna Dennis, Dr. Brigid Barry McKenna, Megan Elizabeth Barry, Katherine Ann Barry and John Dolan Barry III; two great-grandchildren, Michael John and Katharine Mary Dennis; and a close friend, Jean O'Hara Siniawski of Worcester. His brother, William Barry; and his sisters, Geraldine Coughlin, and Alice O'Brien, predeceased him. BARRY John Dolan, 88, Nov. 17. Calling hours at the Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster St., Worcester, are Tuesday, Nov. 20 from 4 to 8 p.m. The funeral will be Wednesday, Nov. 21 from the funeral home with a Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Mary's Church, 640 Main St., Shrewsbury. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery, Worcester. Memorial donations may be made to the McAuley Nazareth Home for Boys, 77 Mulberry St., Leicester, MA 01524.