Barry N. Glass

To know Barry was to love him. Just ask anyone. On August 15th 1939 he was born to Myer and Mirion Glass in Cambridge Massachusetts. In his short time on earth Barry not only accomplished an unbelievable amount but he touched everyone that he met. Barry grew as part of a modes family but was determined to make a better life for himself.

In 1962 Barry graduated from North Eastern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. Even at a young age he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Barry, not being a person who ever just settled, went on and attended both Boston University and Lowell Tech where he earned two master’s degrees, one in Business Administration and another in Nuclear Engineering. During this time he also was an Army 1st Lieutenant from 1963 to 1968 at which point he was honorably discharged.

On January 21st 1968 he married Joan Kesselman. They had their first child, Michael, two years later and in 1973 they had their second child, David. Barry was working for Sanders and living in Nashua, New Hampshire. Always striving to achieve more and ready for new opportunities, in 1980 Barry accepted a job across the country in California for Rockwell International. Once again he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Rockwell was eventually taken over by Boeing, where he worked right up to the end. He could have retired years ago but that was not the life for him. He loved work almost as much as his family. He was passionate about his career. It seemed he was always traveling for work. I believe that he was more comfortable on a plane than anywhere else.

Barry was a very devoted person, especially when it came to his family. He was a man of few words but his actions said it all. As his son I could not have asked for a better dad or a better role model. One example of his devotion that stands out to me is from when we lived in Virginia, Dad would wake up at 3AM every weekend to drive me and my brother to hockey practice which started at 4:45AM. The ice rink was an hour away and most of the roads were covered in snow. He was always there for us, as kids and adults. In recent years he enjoyed being an active and involved grandfather for his three grandchildren: Amber, Matthew and Jillian. Never tiring, at 74 years old he had the energy to keep up with them and some to spare.

Barry’s devotion to his family, and especially his wife, Joan, truly came out at the end. Even knowing that his time was extremely limited his only focus was making sure that Joan would be taken care of once he was gone. After the doctors gave him the news that his days were coming to a close, he called David and had him drive down to the hospital, where in typical engineer fashion he had a list prepared of things that needed to be done for Joan. Since he was first diagnosed on July 3rd to the day that he passed and went on to a better place, Barry never let the cancer control him. He took control, made his lists, got all his affairs in order, and was at peace on his final day. It was way too early for us to lose him, but he went out with more dignity that I could have ever imagined.

Barry was a man of actions, not words. Actions that continuously showed his wife, sons, and grandkids how much he loved them. Actions that demonstrated to his fellow Boeing employees, friends and extended family his dedication, kindness, integrity and thoughtfulness. We will feel a tremendous void in our daily life without Dad, but we will always have him in our heart. He will forever be loved and missed, and we will find comfort in happy memories of him and in knowing he is watching over us.