John Dolan Barry

John Dolan Barry, 88, died on Saturday, November 17th, 2007 at his home in Shrewsbury.

He was born December 25th, 1918 in Lowell 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 coming 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 and remained affiliated there until his death.

Mr. Barry was a founding member of the Worcester Diocesan Bishop's Council, and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Catholic Charities Thrift Shops. He was a longtime president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Bernard's Parish and a Board Director of the Diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Society. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Worcester Public Library, and was a former Trustee and Board Chairman of the Shrewsbury Public Library. He was a member of the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association, The Emerald Club, and was a Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. In 1993, he was named an honorary alumnus of St. John's High School in Shrewsbury.

For 37 years he was a parishioner of St. Bernard's Church in Worcester and for the last 19 years at St. Mary's in Shrewsbury. His wife of 47 years and business partner, Rita A. (Hogan) Barry, died in 1994. 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.

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 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.

Mr. Barry was a great supporter of the McAuley Nazareth Home for Boys and his family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the home at 77 Mulberry St., Leicester 01524.