Jean E. Barry

Jean E. Barry passed away July 6, 2024 at Bayleigh Chase in Easton, Maryland. She was 98. Born December 14, 1925, she was the second daughter of Gertrude and Bernard Elser. Following Jean’s 1943 graduation from Camden High School, she attended Peirce School of Business Administration in Philadelphia. She worked at Provident National Bank in Philadelphia prior to her marriage. On May 10, 1952, she married Nicholas T. Barry. The couple lived in various New Jersey towns until 1972 when they moved to Houston, Texas. While there, Jean was a cherished volunteer at the church office of St. Thomas Presbyterian Church, where she also served two terms as an elder. In addition, she worked parttime as a secretary at Lloyd Lowell & Associates. In 1992, the Barrys relocated to Annapolis, where Jean’s volunteer work shifted to the public library system. An avid reader with an active mind, Jean was known for her cleverness with and love of words – constructing lengthy poems for special occasions and effortlessly completing the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzles. After moving in 2008 to what was then William Hill Manor, Jean undertook her proudest achievement – the reorganization of that community’s library, which was later renamed in her honor. She is survived by her daughter, Ellen Barry Grunden of Easton; her grandson Nicholas W. Grunden (Jake A. Mahr) of Montréal, Québec; and two nieces - Tamara E. Davis of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina and Susan B. Angstadt of Oakland, California. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, who died in 2010; and her sister, Elizabeth E. Kacenbergs, who died in 1999. Jean will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery with her late husband, who served his country in the United States Army during World War II. A memorial service will be held on September 28th, 2024 at the Bayleigh Chase Auditorium at 11 AM and a reception will follow at the Barry Library. Memorial contributions may be made to Talbot Hospice, 586 Cynwood Avenue, Easton, MD, 21601 or to Reading is Fundamental, 750 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., 20002, or at www.rif.org.

Jean E. Barry

December 14, 1925 - July 6, 2024