Susan Adkins Barry

POLAND – Susan Adkins Barr,. 85, of Poland, passed away at home, surrounded by her loved ones, on Jan. 19, 2025. She was born in Tappan, New York on Jan. 24, 1939, the second child of Lawrence Richmond Adkins and Harriet Johnson Adkins and was raised in Mechanic Falls. She graduated from Mechanic Falls High School with the wonderful class of 1957 and then attended the University of Maine/Gorham for two years.

In June of 1962, Susan and Richard “Red” Barry were married and began their journey together through the fleeting years. During the early years of their marriage, Susan stayed home to enjoy their four children. She also provided daycare for other children, volunteered at various elementary schools, was an active leader in Brownies, Girl Scouts, and 4-H, and taught Sunday School. While living in Erving, Massachusetts she was elected to the school committee, worked as a switchboard operator/receptionist at Erving Paper Mills, and also helped create and publish the “Around Town Newsletter,” writing a human-interest column for each issue. She worked as a secretary for 18 years in Massachusetts and Maine. She also worked for several real estate agencies in Waterville, for the Maine “Children’s Home for Little Wanderers” in Augusta, and for Freeport Community Services in Freeport. In November of 1998 she and Red moved back to the home that her Dad built in the mid-1950’s on Tripp Lake in Poland, Maine. At that time Susan became involved in the “Tripp Lake Improvement Association” as secretary and as editor of the “TLIA Newsletter” for several years.

During her remaining years she became a slug [Susan’s words – for she was anything but] and just pretty much had fun with her many friends and her children and grandchildren.

Susan’s hobbies included completing home renovations, furniture refinishing, rushing chairs, sewing, gardening, cooking, dancing, reading, volunteering, and numerous church activities, cross word puzzles, and jig saw puzzles with her “ginger” granddaughters. She also enjoyed the many friends she and Red made as they moved 27 times during their marriage. She loved life and her family and friends who were the very focal point of her life. Following retirement, she and Red enjoyed visiting Myrtle Beach for several months each winter while also visiting friends and relatives in Florida and Pennsylvania, and others along the way.

Red predeceased Susan in 2022, and her dearly missed parents predeceased her in 1991 and 1998. She was also predeceased by Red’s parents, Esther and Bob Barry, and Red’s brothers, Leroy Barry and Donald Barry.

Surviving Susan are her 3 daughters, Kim Barry, Jean Barry Martin (and husband David) of Sidney, Maine, and their daughter Darby Martin Goss (and husband Nate) and their son Theo Goss, of Somersworth, New Hampshire, Lynn Barry Gelinas (and husband Mark) and their daughters Erin Gelinas and Kira Gelinas (the two ginger granddaughters) of Poland, Maine, her son, Nicholas Barry and his son Rory Barry (also a ginger) (and Rory’s mother Kate Parhiala Frash) of Georgetown, Massachusetts, and a very special friend of the family, who was like a fourth daughter to Susan, Tracy McKenney Flaherty of Orange, Massachusetts.

Also surviving Susan is her brother, Rich Adkins, and his wife Eve Adkins, of Pennsylvania, as well as ten wonderful nieces and nephews and a number of great cousins.

Services will be held at the convenience of the family sometime in the warmer months of 2025. Arrangements have been provided by Chandler Funeral Homes, 26 W. Dwinal Street, Mechanic Falls, Maine 04256 To make an online condolence please visit http://www.chandlerfunerals.com.

If you wish, memorial donations may be made to your favorite charity.