Joan E. Barry

Joan E Barry, aged 95, of Abingdon, MD, passed away peacefully on October 27, 2025. She was the loving wife of the late Dr. John Barry. She is survived by her son, Michael (Dana) Barry; her daughters Nancy Barry, Laura (Elliot) Barry, and Susie (Marie) Barry; and her grandchildren Jenny (Omar) Barry, Kristen Barry, and Sean Barry Gerwig; her brother, Harold (Connie) Steel. Nancy Maltrud, her sister, predeceased her.

Joan was born in New Jersey in 1930 and following the death of her father, relocated to Baltimore in 1947 with her mother and two siblings. She met John on a blind date to a dental school dance, and they went on to marry in 1954. They welcomed their first two children, Nancy and Michael in 1955 and 1956, and then Laura in 1960 and Susie in 1965. Joan was an impeccable homemaker and decorated the house with her daughter Nancy’s beautiful artwork. She was a gourmet cook and also helped to run her husband’s dental office as the business manager. The family enjoyed summers at the Hillcrest pool, annual camping vacations to Vermont and Myrtle Beach, and special holiday activities with their dear family friends, the Clarks.

In the 1980s, a new member joined the family when Michael married Dana, and Joan welcomed her two granddaughters, Jenny and Kristen. This decade also marked her first trip abroad, backpacking with Laura through the Greek Islands and Turkey for a month. This endeavor would ignite the spark that grew into a passion for travel that would go on for decades and take her to vast destinations that spanned the globe. She loved to share her travel stories and her photo albums from Africa, China, Thailand, Europe, Israel, Norway, Mexico, and the Caribbean (just to name a few) via airplane, cruise ship, train, bus, and river cruise. Two highlights of her many adventures were a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon and riding a camel in Egypt! Joan was game to go anywhere and everywhere and passed her love of travel onto her children and grandchildren.

In the 90’s, the family continued to expand when Susie married Marie and Laura married Elliot. The final addition was her grandson Sean. Joan traveled to Russia in 2004 to assist Marie in bringing the baby home. She was also the mother and grandmother to all of the family pets and was famous for over-indulging our dogs and kitties with treats!

Joan was a lover of the arts, including opera, theatre, and the symphony. A highlight was seeing Tony Bennett live with her daughter, Nancy. She was a faithful member of the Episcopal Church and served her church community as a volunteer at The Cottage Shop for many years.

With the love of family and friends, Joan lived a beautiful life for 95 years. She inspired us all to live life to the fullest, embrace adventures, eat chocolate, and drink wine! Joan is finally with her beloved John in heaven.

Visitation will be held on Friday, November 14, 2025, 3-7 pm at McComas Family Funeral Home, Bel Air, Maryland. Funeral will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11:00 am at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Bel Air, Maryland. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Special Olympics of Maryland or to Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 303 N. Main St., Bel Air, MD.