At an early age, Barry moved with his mother and siblings to Fairview, Oregon.
He grew up in the East country Gresham/Fairview area where he would spend most of his life living.
He would go on to meet his future wife Patty at the Rockwood McDonalds and then a year later would run into her again at the Multnomah Greyhound Park where Patty was employed at the time. They both would go on to fall in love with one another and marry in 1984 shortly before having there 2 boys Barry Jr in December of 1984 and Brian shortly after in June of 1987.
Barry had a dream with his wife to someday own a racing greyhound that they could watch and possibly win a stakes race. After many trials and tribulations in the greyhound industry their dream together become a reality when there first stakes qualifier BW Blazin Bandit went on to win the 2000 Wood Village Sprint Championship. It was a dream fulfilled. His love for the greyhounds business would be passed on to his boys who both would later participate in the greyhound industry where His son Brian would go on to train and win many stakes championships that he was so very proud of.
While winning a greyhound championship was Barry’s dream it was his two boys that he would tell you were his proudest accomplishment. Even though he’d never take the credit for it as he would tell everyone it was all his wife that raised such good boys. But the loved they shared for there family what was really there secret. He was always so proud to share what the boys had done. From Barry Jr becoming a Manager to Brian running his own kennel. That same love of family would be passed on to his grandchildren Jordan and Andrew.
Barry loved to collect baseball cards(especially Mickey Mantles). He’d do wheeling an dealing horse trading with them on various things.
He was an avid sports fan of whomever the boys were rooting for; but his true favorites were the New York Yankees (The Yanks he’d call them) and the Dallas Cowboys.
Barry loved to share news and help out when he could. He liked to see others happy. From calling his grandchildren pretending to be Santa on the phone at Christmas time or handing out suckers to the kids in the neighborhood. He liked to make others smile.
He loved to give you a good laugh, by saying something silly or just teasing giving you an innocent hard time. He was always the life of the party.
Barry had a lot of love for people, but loved his family the most.
While he has always been a Christian, it was his Wife Patty, Sister June and Brother in Laws Mike and John who helped bring him closer to Jesus. Barry was curious about the lord, and in his heart knew his wife was in heaven. He loved and missed her dearly.
Now there love is reunited together forever in heaven.
Things Dad loved:
⁃ His Wife
⁃ His Boys and Grandchildren
⁃ Loved talking on the phone with his family and his friends just to chit chat
⁃ Racing Greyhounds and betting at the Dog track
⁃ His love for collecting baseball cards
⁃ Mickey Mantle & Nolan Ryan
⁃ The New York Yankees
⁃ The Dallas Cowboys
⁃ His love for fast cars and working on them. “Not the new computer stuff”he’d say
⁃ Loved rock music from the 70’s, 80’s as well country music.
⁃ Loved hunting, fishing and doing things outdoors
⁃ Loved the casino and playing “the high limit big Bertha” slot machine
⁃ Loved watching late night movies with his family
