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Graduated to Glory in April of '87
I have forgotten most of Junior High and High School, both of which I attended with Barry. I do remember playing organized baseball with Barry as a kid. At least one season a bunch of us from the class of ~'83 were on the same team. There was Barry, Steve Adams, Kerry Bandy (or 'Steven', as his folks called him), Matt Whalen and me. I think Brook Emery was on our team at least one year, too. Man, I miss the good times we all had together, right up through graduation...
--Posted by Rob Folden
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Tamara Martin (Miller)
I can't remember the exact date of "Lou's" death, but in searching for that, it occurred to me that the date didn't matter as much as remembering his wonderful spirit.As some of you know, we lost Barry in the spring of 1986 or 1987, I'm sorry I can't find the exact date and year. I know Rick Mutzabaugh and I drove in from JMU and it was kind of warm. Help my memory out friends! He was driving home, and his car ran off the road and hit a tree. He is buried in a beautiful family cemetery on Bent Mountain near his childhood home. Another good friend we lost too soon.
I met Barry at Cave Spring Jr. In fact, I think he asked me to the 7th grade dance? He was just a good old country boy. Always made me laugh and look on the bright side of things. The foods class we took with that spacey home ec teacher Mrs. Harrison was one of the the best semesters ever in high school. She had no idea what to do with us. I believe she told either John Dillion or Jeff Conner that our class was the horniest class she had ever seen. I do remember a lot of touching going on??? I got to know Barry best when we went off to East Tennessee State. That's where a roomate of mine started calling him Lou. He roomed with Rob McConkey, so I saw him frequently during my two years there. I got to know the kind, gentle spirit that he was. He would always be there for you. Once, he rescued a lab rat that he kept in their dorm room. It probably helped keep the place clean. Yikes.
I think of him everyday because........One morning, when the clock turned 11:11 he asked me if I ever saw that number on the clock. Of course I said no, and he went on to tell me that he sees it every day at least once, sometimes twice. I was like cool, and then never gave it much thought after that. After he died, and to this day, I see 11:11 at least once a day. It brings a smile to my face and say hay to my old friend.
Ben Smith
I'll never forget one day, in the middle of a very rough practice (two-a-days), when Coach Phillips had us more than half-dead, I missed a block (or several), and Coach P. decided it was time for a little bull in the ring time for me.After that, it was back onto the line, with warnings that if I missed another block, it was back in the ring. Needless to say, I was a little tired and shaken up.
Barry was playing linebacker, and when I stumbled forward to block him, actually grabbed my arms, backed away from the hole, and told me to keep going. He did that three or four times until that practice was over, and I don't think I ever thanked him for it.
Very few people - especially on that team, that year -- would have done that.
Robert McConkey
I remember Barry on the football team when he would get mad at me for not holding up the ball carrier so he could hit him and when he did he most often hit me harder than him. My hands are not the same because of that. I also remember getting thrown out of my last high school football game because the refs got tired of his over aggressiveness. So, when I looked mean at an offenceive lineman and got thrown out. I didn't care about the game. It was extremely cold and I was sweaty.I really got to know Barry "Lou" while rooming with him at ETSU. I will never forget one of the few times I didn't go out with him and he got in a fight and I wasn't there to get involved and watch his back. I think he wanted revenge at the time, but he soon got side tracked and forgot about it. He got me in trouble with Tami Martin once because at about 2:00am he and two of Tami's friends talked me and another guy to go on a road trip to Emery & Henry in his Chevette. I don't know how we made it back alive. But when we did get back Tami nearly killed me. I could go on and on with priceless stories about Lou. I miss him and his love of people and life. If you were his friend he would do anything for you. He was a country boy with chivalris values. We could use more Barry "Lou's" in this world. I miss you my friend!
Kerry Underwood
I remember Barry as my very good friend that I miss greatly. He was one of a kind with a heart of gold. I think of him often with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. Love you man