Barry Allen Scott

Barry Allen Scott, 73, of Bridgeport, WV, ascended into the heavens on December 4, 2025. Barry is survived by his wife of fifty years, Diane Quinlin Scott, his two children, Carrie Scott Emerson (Paul) of Chesterfield, VA, his son Ryan Christopher Scott of Raleigh, NC, and the light of his life granddaughter, Aida Marie Emerson of Chesterfield, VA. Other surviving family include sister Patti Scott Crabtree of Madisonville KY, brother Raymond Scott of St. Charles MO, and sister Cathy Scott Jones (Terry) of St. Charles MO. Also surviving are his mother-in-law Mary Frances Quinlin, brothers-in-law David L. Quinlin (Cindy), and Daniel W. Quinlin (Sheila) all of Hannibal MO, along with nephews and nieces. Barry was proceeded in death by his parents, Robert Charles Scott and Beverly Fitzhugh Morgan, his brother-in-law James Crabtree, and his father-in-law Kenneth L Quinlin.
Born in Denver, CO into a Navy family, Barry was the eldest of four children. He learned responsibility and leadership at an early age because his father was stationed on a submarine in the South Pacific during his early childhood. Barry graduated from Hannibal High School in 1970, followed by enlistment into the US Navy 1970 - 1974. He received his choice duty station of Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, and served as a Communications Technician for the US Navy's Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet. After service to his country, he married his sweetheart Diane, on October 25, 1975, in Hannibal.
Barry and Diane were career employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Barry for 31 years. He and his wife served first at FBIHQ in Washington, DC, and later at the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division in Clarksburg, WV. Barry managed operations of the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer system in WV, ensuring uninterrupted high-speed data flow between NCIC and law enforcement agencies throughout the US. He also developed and managed CJIS' renowned FlyAway Program. In the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, Barry deployed technical teams who built and flew with platforms to collect fingerprint data critical to the victim identification process. He also sent teams into the horrific aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to help with victim identification, ensuring teams received necessary vaccinations/exams beforehand and that they had access to counseling support afterwards. As world events and terrorist activities evolved, Barry expanded the FlyAway's parameters and deployed team members internationally, sometimes with sidearms, to obtain live-scan fingerprints and transmit them to CJIS from anywhere in the world via satellite. He foresaw the need to create a separate data base for suspected terrorist fingerprints that is used today to apprehend terrorists and protect the US from the threat of attack on its citizens, special interest groups and critical infrastructure. Prior to his retirement, Barry received awards of distinction for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of US National Security, for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety, and for Excellence in Overall Program Management and Administration. Above all, Barry's legacy will be remembered because he did what was right, he treated people well, and he always strived to be an asset.
Known by his family as a quiet intellect, Barry started each day of retirement early with a cup of Navy coffee and radio broadcasts from NPR and the BBC. He was an armchair authoritarian on WW II, the Middle East and world history, and he stayed informed on foreign and current affairs. He read The Bible three times from front to back, he read National Geographic magazine cover to cover for decades, and he could engineer a fix to anything "just by studying the physics of it." He loved to trout fish and was humbled to catch and release the elusive tiger trout. He cherished his wife and children, but his happiest moments were being in the glow of his 11-year-old granddaughter and standing in the backcountry trout streams of the WV mountains.
B, you will be loved and missed. You proved yourself to be an asset. Wherever you roam, let your light shine.
The family is deeply grateful to the nursing staffs on 6 South and 4 North at the United Hospital Center, and to the nurses and doctors with the West Virginia University Hospice Program.
Memorial donations may be made to the West Virginia University Hospice Program by denotation to the West Virginia University Foundation, Inc., One Waterfront Place – 7th floor, PO Box 1650, Morgantown, WV 26507-1650.
Celebrations of life with family will be held at later dates. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Barry, please visit our floral store.