Dr. George R. Barry, a long-time resident of Monroe Wisconsin, died on December 22, 2021. He was 103 and was married for 68 years to his beloved wife, Kathryn, who preceded him in death. After spending 56 years in Monroe, George and Kay moved in 2005 to Oakwood Village in Madison, where they resided until their deaths.
George was born in Chicago, the son of George and Mildred Barry. A talented musician, George played in several bands while in high school and college. While in high school he started and arranged music for his own dance band while playing the saxophone, clarinet, and guitar and singing. George entered the University of Chicago in 1935 where he met Kay in their freshmen chemistry class. He continued playing with his band while in college until his faculty advisor said he had to decide between being a musician or a physician and that he needed to raise his grades if he wanted to get into medical school. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1939 and was granted early admission to the University of Chicago Medical School in the spring of that year. He graduated from Medical School in September of 1941 and was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the Medical School Honorary Society. He began his year-long internship with the University of Illinois in October of 1941 and married Kay in 1942. In October of 1942, he began his residency at the University of Michigan, specializing in internal medicine. In 1944, he entered the army and spent 2 years in New York City as Medical Officer in charge of the Medical Detachment of the 716th MP battalion and subsequently, Post Surgeon of Fort Wadsworth.
After leaving the army in 1946, George returned to the University of Michigan to complete his residency. In 1948, he and Kay moved to Monroe Wisconsin where he joined the Monroe Clinic and worked as a physician for 37 ½ years. During his first year in Monroe, George estimated that he made over 275 house calls, a reminder of how much the practice of medicine has changed. In addition to his busy practice, he served as the Clinic’s Chairman of its Department of Internal Medicine as well as the Chief of Staff for the St. Claire Hospital in Monroe. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Heart Association and the Wisconsin Society of Internal Medicine (and was the fifteenth President). He was also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the Wisconsin Medical Society.
George was also heavily engaged in many other civic roles and responsibilities in Monroe, apart from his practice of medicine. He served as the president of the PTA and PTA Council, along with his work as a member of the Monroe Board of Education for 9 years. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Monroe YMCA, the Monroe Arts Center, and the Monroe Senior Center, and was involved in supporting the Boy Scouts in a wide range of positions. In addition to serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster, George served as a Boy Scout Neighborhood Commissioner, a District Commissioner, as a member of the local Boy Scout Council’s Executive Board and as a volunteer physician at two Boy Scout National Jamborees. He received the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts. Both of his sons, Rick, and Don became Eagle Scouts.
Along with his wife Kay, George was an avid outdoorsman and bird watcher. Beginning in the mid-1950’s, he and his family went on numerous canoe trips into the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area in Northern Minnesota, He was also deeply interested in the restoration of native prairies and was a charter member of the non-profit organization, The Prairie Enthusiasts. His wife was responsible for persuading the City of Monroe to create a native prairie park on the west side of Monroe, a park subsequently named after Kay and George Barry.
George is survived by three of his four children; Rick, Don of Medford, OR, and Carol; two grandchildren, Eric Studesville and Erica Barry; two great grandchildren, Sydni Studesville and Eric Jr. Studesville; and his AFS son Dr. David E. Schujman of Tucuman, Argentina. His oldest daughter, Jan, and her husband Al Studesville preceded him in death.
The Barry family would like to extend its deepest appreciation and thanks for the wonderful caring staffs at Oakwood Village and BrightStar Care.
There will be a Celebration of George’s Life held in the spring. Condolences may be sent to the family at: shriner111.com.
In lieu of flowers, the Barry family has asked that friends wishing to make a memorial donation in George’s name send their donations to either The Prairie Bluff Chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts in Viroqua WI; the Monroe Arts Center, the Monroe Behring Senior Center, or the Green County Family YMCA, all in Monroe; The Oakwood Foundation, Inc. in Madison or The Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, Inc. – George and Kay Barry Scholarship Fund.
