Obituary of Deanna T. Barry

Deanna Theresa Barry of Madison NJ, beloved mother of five, and grandmother of ten, passed away quietly at the age of 87 on February 27, 2025, at the Genesis Troy Hills Center in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ.

Deanna was born to Michael and Theresa Gero on May 12, 1937, and was a lifelong resident of her cherished hometown of Madison. She attended St. Vincent Martyr School, as well as Bayley Ellard High School, both in Madison, and graduated From St. Elizabeth College in Convent Station, NJ in 1958 with a degree in Biology. Upon graduation Deanna entered the fascinating field of biological research at Seton Hall Medical School in Jersey City, NJ, studying the effects of spinal injuries and regeneration of spinal cells.

 Deanna relished her summers on the Jersey Shore, sharing beach rentals with her sisters Marie and Chris, and various friends, most notably Mary Lou Paterzo. Her passion for this special place was openly shared with her children and grandchildren through yearly vacations, most of them spent at picturesque Cape May, NJ.

Deanna was always drawn to the excitement and vibrancy of New York City, which she passed on to her children, all of them at one point choosing to attend college there. She took special joy driving across the George Washington Bridge to help furnish one of her kids’ apartments, or just meet them for lunch.

Deanna had a lightning-fast wit and a contagious sense of humor. She took great joy in retelling stories of the past and bringing deep laughter to those around her. Deanna treasured her Sundays, attending mass in the morning, and then retiring to her living room with a cup of coffee and the New York Times Sunday Puzzle. She had a deep affection for music and could always be heard belting out songs in her own unique way, or just listening to some of her favorites, such as James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel, The Eagles, and Frank Sinatra.

 Later in life Deanna courageously went back to school at Kean University in Union, NJ where she studied and became a master of American Sign Language. She then dedicated her newly acquired talent to serve as ASL interpreter for students of the Public School District of Newark, NJ. Her fondest memory of that time was taking a class of 8th Graders from the Bruce School for The Deaf on a field trip to experience, for the first time in their lives, the pure fascination of the sand and sea of the Jersey Shore.

In her later years, Deanna took great delight in her weekly Diner lunches and trips to the movies with her sister Marie, and lifelong friends Mary Lou Paterzo, Barbara Penders and Barbara Meany. Above all though, Deanna’s greatest role, and one that truly defined her, was that of a mom and grandmother. She had deep love for all her kids and grandkids, and never hesitated to offer the time, attention and unwavering support that only a mom of her talents, gifts and compassion could provide.

 She will be deeply missed but never forgotten. Deanna was preceded in death by her first grandchild Kai Atticus Skaarup, and is survived by sons James, Peter, Matthew and Daniel Barry, her daughter Kathryn Barry, her grandchildren, Sam, Melissa, Max, Andrew, Liam, Nicky, Jacob, and Avery Barry, Ayden Creek Taylor-Barry, and her sister Chris Rocco, her husband Bob, and her sisters Marie Lynes and Elizabeth Cieri.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 7, at 10am at St. Vincent Martyr Church in Madison, NJ. Inurnment of ashes to follow at St. Vincent Cemetery, Madison. 

Arrangements were under the care of Burroughs, Kohr & Dangler Funeral Home, Madison, NJ.