In Memory

Thomas George Barry - Class Of 1943

Thomas George Barry

Thomas George Barry, 86

Published: Wednesday, November 7, 2012 at 4:30 a.m, BlueRidgeNow.com (Times-News Online)

Thomas George Barry, 86, died peacefully on November 4, 2012, at the Elizabeth House and is now reunited with his wife, Earline.

George was born September 22, 1926, in Cedartown, Ga., to Thomas C. Barry and Vivian Nock Barry. He grew up in College Park, Ga. He married Sarah Earline Owen on January 11, 1947. Besides his parents and his wife, he was predeceased by his son, Michael Owen Barry.

He is survived by his daughters, Claudia Barry Gonzalez of Hendersonville, N.C., and Penny Barry Myers and her husband, Toby, of Arden, N.C.; and his sisters, Evelyn Barry Harris (Steve) of Winder, Ga., and LaRene Barry Morris of St. Petersburg, Fla. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

George was born to be a pilot, and as soon as he could, he joined the Navy. They sent him to school and he earned his wings about the time WWII was over. He stayed on active duty as long as he could, then moved to Miami, Fla., to get more experience and try to get on with a commercial airline. He joined Eastern Air Lines and moved back to Atlanta, Ga. He also went into the Naval Reserves.

In 1966, he was offered a position with EAL in the training department and moved to Florida. He retired from EAL in 1986 when he turned 60 and, immediately, got a job teaching flying. He flew his last flight with one of his students in a single-engine plane from Hendersonville, N.C., to Barrow, Alaska, and when he got back, stated that he was finished flying.

He and Earline traveled to many places during their almost 65 years together and danced through life.

George was very active in every community he lived in, including Hendersonville, where he was an Elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church, President of the Etowah Lion's Club and a docent at the Western North Carolina Air Museum. He was always available to lend a hand to any project that needed doing.

The family wants to thank Compassionate Home Care, in particular, Karen, Patty P, Patty S, Debra and Dottie for the excellent care and love they gave to Daddy 24/7 and Four Seasons Compassion for Life (Pat, Alan, Christa, Dr. Templeton, and the staff at Elizabeth House) for being there and caring for him.

There was a memorial service at the Chapel in the Pines of Jackson Funeral Service, 1101 Greenville Highway, Hendersonville, NC 28792, on Saturday, November 10, 2012. In lieu of flowers, donations were requested to Four Seasons Compassion for Life, 571 S. Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28731 or Memory Care, 100 Far Horizons Lane, Asheville, NC 28803.