William D. Barry

1942 - 2025

William D. Barry
William (Bill) Barry Sr., age 82, of Palm Coast, Florida, passed away peacefully Thursday, January 30, 2025 after an extended illness. Born in Bridgeport on August 28, 1942 to the late Daniel and Edith (McGinnis) Barry, he was a longtime Connecticut resident, living in Bridgeport until 1972, Shelton until 2011, and Westbrook until early 2020, after which he relocated full-time to Florida. He is survived by his beloved fiancée Lorraine Raccuia, originally from West Haven, his beloved son William Jr. (B.J.) and granddaughter Lillian of Apex, North Carolina, honorary sons Ben Raccuia of Byron, New York, and Michael Raccuia of Kentucky, as well as his much-loved Yorkie, Bentley. He was predeceased by his loving wife of 38 years, Madaline (Cingari), in 2005. Bill is also survived by sisters Carol (Bruce) Fern of Bridgeport, Kathleen Carbone of West Haven, and Patricia (Felix) D'Ausilio of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, brother Dennis (Deborah) Barry of Beacon Falls, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by brothers Daniel, Robert, and Edward Barry, sisters Joan Hammill, Margaret Moran, and Elizabeth Barry, as well as several brothers- and sisters-in-law. He attended Central High School in Bridgeport before enlisting in the Navy in 1960, where he served until late 1963. Bill was especially proud of his time aboard the USS Newman K. Perry (DDR-883), which comprised the majority of his time at sea. In October 1962, at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Perry, with Bill aboard, was deployed for 37 days to search and detain cargo ships entering and leaving Havana Harbor as part of the blockade of Cuba, ordered by President Kennedy to prevent Soviet military supplies from reaching the country 90 miles from the U.S. mainland. Upon receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy the following year, Bill began what would become a 39-year career at Warnaco in Bridgeport. Starting out as a stock boy, he rose to General Foreman of Stitching and then Plant Manager, before moving into integral roles in charge of quality control and, later, garment molding. He retired in 2002 as the Director of Research & Development. Bill could often be found watching "the game", and friends and family learned not to call when the New York Mets, New York Giants, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, or UConn men's and women's basketball teams were on. He was also a voracious reader, particularly interested in World War II and U.S. naval history, as well as in music history, books on his favorite sports teams, historical fiction, and crime novels. He loved '50s rock & roll and doo-wop music, and was especially a fan of New Haven's Five Satins, whose 1956 hit "In the Still of the Night" became something of a Barry family staple, with Bill and his brothers singing and performing choreographed routines at just about every family gathering. While he always admitted his brother Dennis had the best voice, Bill would always claim he had the best moves. Family was at the core of everything for Bill. His storytelling and sense of humor often left friends and relatives in hysterics, and he would later be remembered as "my favorite uncle" by a number of his nieces and nephews. He was a loving husband, partner, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend, and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.
Relatives and friends may greet the family Friday, February 7, 2025 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Bill's memory to The Fund [thefund.org, (760) 725-3680], which provides financial and lifetime support to wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. To leave an online condolence, visit www.abriola.com