To the Editor:
Barry D. Roy of Chilmark passed away on August 9. This letter is written on behalf of the legion of friends he made on Martha’s Vineyard since he first arrived here in 2008. It is also on behalf of his godchildren and hundreds of friends who loved him dearly.

We would like to thank all of those who came to his aid when he had a heart attack at Philbin Beach in Aquinnah on July 29. Especially Kelly Whitcomb Langley, who just happened to be there and knew how to perform CPR. Special thanks also to Chief Randhi Belain, and Sgt. Paul Manning from APD, and the EMTs who worked on him for an hour until an ambulance could take him to MV Hospital. Thank you also to the ER nurses, doctors and staff at MV Hospital.  They were simply amazing as they stabilized him for the airlift to Tufts New England in Boston where, despite getting the best of care, his big heart failed him on August 9.

We also wanted to share his Vineyard story with a little background about his love for MVI . Barry was literally larger than life in both size and in the lasting impact he made on the lives of people he befriended on the Island. He was 6’4” tall and weighed 300 pounds. His nickname, The Bear, came from his given name combined with his size. 

The Bear made friends everywhere he went. If you met him you wanted to be his friend. Though he was an only child, he had the largest “family” you could imagine. He had numerous godchildren who he loved dearly. He was very close to his family, his college buddies from St. Michael’s College and friends he made during his career and on his travels around the world. He became “Uncle Bear” to our spouses, our children and grandchildren. He made everyone he knew feel loved and important.

It was the St. Mike’s bond that brought him to the Vineyard in 2008 to join several of his college “buddies” in helping a fellow alum and his family. 

A few years ago, when he decided to retire and make Chilmark his year-round residence, we were surprised and very happy to have him join us. He could have chosen so many other places that he enjoyed. However, as he put it, “I have been all over the world and discovered I like Chilmark the most.”

Here, he created a rich life on his own and through his St. Michael’s connection (50+ alums live on MVI).

SMC grad Meg Athern, her husband Dan, and their children, introduced him to even more folks on the Island and he invited them to his beautiful home. His informal dinners and bingo & pizza parties were fun for parents and children alike. Bear always said, “the more the merrier.” He was up for anything. 

He loved the Island beaches, especially Quansoo Beach, where he bought a key so he could share it with friends and visitors. He loved the people who worked at Town Hall, where he would often be greeted with smiles, conversation and a few hugs.

His beautiful home was “booked” and filled with friends every week during the summer. He would take all visitors on a “Bear Tour” of the Island that might include a beach ride on Norton Point, a boat ride on Vineyard Sound, a trip to Chilmark Chocolates, a stop at Larsen’s Fish Market and a tour of Morning Glory Farm where he would jokingly proclaim, “There is nothing you need that they don’t have, unless you are looking for hardware.”

The subhead of his obit stated: “He led with a big heart.”  And indeed, he did. He was a generous supporter of Compassionate Care ALS, The Boy Scouts of America (he was very proud of being an Eagle Scout), The Aquinnah Lighthouse Project, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Hospice of MV and, of course, his beloved St. Michael’s College where he was a trustee.

He touched many lives during his short stay on this Island he loved so much. He will be missed by all those whose lives he enriched with his friendship and love.

 

Meg Athern and John Verret

Chilmark