Robert F Barry

Robert Francis Barry of Inverness died on May 7, 2018 after an extended illness; he was 77. Born in Brooklyn, New York, April 20, 1941 he was predeceased by his parents, Elizabeth Ludwig Barry and William James Barry, sisters Kathleen Spink and Edna Willets, and brother William James Barry Jr. Raised in Pleasantville, New York, Bob joined the US Army in 1963 serving in both the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions. After months of training including Leadership School and Jump School (paratrooper) he was assigned to Ft Bragg, North Carolina and the 82nd Airborne Division. He was placed in the S-2 section (Intelligence) of the 1st of the 325th Airborne Infantry Brigade. He was promoted to Sergeant and reassigned to the Division G-2 section. On April 27th, 1965 while on Temporary Duty (TDY) to the New York City World's Fair, Bob received an urgent phone message to report to a small Naval Air base on Long Island and bring nothing but toilet articles (ditty bag). He and two other members of the 82nd were flown to Pope Air Force Base at Ft. Bragg. Twelve hours later Bob landed on the third plane (C-130) in the Dominican Republic. Communists rebels, allegedly under the command of Che from Cuba, were attempting to take over the Island nation. Bob would publish a book on the 82nd's first combat since WW2 titled "Power Pack" - the code name for the troop movement. Later in 1965 while some of the 82nd were still on the island, Bob was reassigned to the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Brigade serving as a separate unit in Vietnam. His experience in Vietnam with the Brigade and the Screaming Eagles 13 major moves in 12 months is recorded in his second published book, "Vietnam Odyssey". Bob completed his military service with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 509th Airborne Infantry in Mainz, Germany. Bob was hired by the Dade County Florida Sheriff in 1969. At the same time he attended college at Miami Dade North, and then went on to be in the first graduating class of Florida International University where he was the first editor of the campus newspaper, "Action". In June of 1973 Bob became the Director of Mountainview Development, a residential facility in Clarkesville, Georgia for mentally challenged adults. In 1976 he began his career with the Georgia Department of Corrections. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a Masters Degree in Rehabilitative Counseling in 1979. In 1982 Bob developed and implemented the first Mental Health program for the Georgia Department of Corrections at the new correctional facility, Metro, in Atlanta, Georgia and served as the first Director of Mental Health. He retired from the Georgia Department of Corrections in 2000. Bob then began his advocation of serving Veterans as Commander with the Veterans of Foreign Wars at the Eatonton, Georgia post. He was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America and served at a variety of local and state positions to include representing the State of Georgia in the VVA. Bob was elected to the VVA's National Board of Directors serving and representing Vietnam Veterans in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in a tireless effort to insure veterans received the benefits they earned through service to country. Bob is survived by his wife Gabrielle (Mani) Northington Barry, daughters April Masini of Naples, FL and Trisha Barry of New York City, sons Ollie Strickland and Alan Strickland both of Atlanta Georgia, and sister Eileen (Richard) Bakhart of The Villages, Florida. Bob will be interred at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice of Citrus and the Nature Coast. Care is provided by the Neptune Society. Memorial plans will be updated when complete.

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