Gregory Eugene Barrett

Gregory E. Barrett (Greg) was born on November 27, 1949, in Mason City, Iowa, and passed away on September 18, 2025, in Rockford, Illinois. Greg brought warmth and joy to countless lives as a devoted son, brother, uncle, husband of 53 years, father, grandfather and treasured friend.

His passions ran deep. An avid St. Louis Cardinals fan following in his father Lionel's footsteps, Greg spent many summers at Busch Stadium sharing his love of the game with his wife Gloria and their three children. At Trinity College in Deerfield, Illinois, he starred as pitcher for the Trinity College Trojans, earning the nickname "Fireball" for his fierce fastball-a moniker that captured not just his athletic prowess but the energy he brought to everything he touched.

After graduating from Trinity College, Greg earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1974. While in law school, he joined the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and later completed his officer training as a 1st Lieutenant at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, Indiana. He served in the combined active and inactive reserves for a total of 20 years. Greg began his legal career as an Associate Attorney at Schlueter & Ecklund, where he became a partner and practiced for many years. Greg focused on civil litigation in northern Illinois, handling a wide variety of cases, including international matters, before retiring in 2019. He also enjoyed teaching continuing legal education seminars to fellow attorneys.

Greg served in leadership roles at First Free Church, Trinity International University, Rockford Christian Schools, and throughout the legal community. He created wonderful family memories: summers waterskiing on Lake Delavan, adventures at Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, and vacation weeks at Stormy Lake in Conover, Wisconsin. He spent countless hours teaching his children, nieces, and nephews to waterski. An avid traveler, Greg took his family on annual road trips across the country-from New York to California, traveling across most of the continental United States-and visited Canada, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Cayman Islands. Later, Greg and Gloria explored the world together, journeying from London to Greece and through Belgium, Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands, and Israel.

What made Greg truly extraordinary wasn't what he accomplished but who he was. Despite his encyclopedic knowledge, he possessed something rarer-wisdom, and the humility to wear it lightly. His laughter could transform any room, shifting seamlessly from profound conversation to delightful silliness. He was a compassionate man who expressed kindness not in grand gestures, but in quiet, anonymous acts of generosity. He embodied the rarest form of Christianity-one that speaks through actions rather than words. Those who knew him were blessed beyond measure to be shaped by his legacy of quiet strength and boundless love.

Greg is survived by his wife of 53 years, Gloria Nell (Neeleman); son John Gregory Barrett; daughter Nancy Noel Barrett; sister Colleen Lohrenz (Stuart); brothers Bradley and Brent Barrett; grandson Wesley James Barrett; and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Lionel and Dorothy (Westlund) Barrett; sister Nancy Ostlie (Charlie); nephew Colin Ostlie; and son Geoffery Eugene Barrett.

Greg's Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 3, 2025, at Hope Church, 5656 Elevator Road, Roscoe, Illinois, with Pastors Bill Moore and Micky Klink officiating, and a luncheon following. Visitation will be from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service. To share a memory or condolence, please visit www.olsonfh.com