Tributes

Leon Kenneth Barry was born on January 11th, 1956, and died on May 8th, 2023, at the age of 67. As a husband, father, brother, and church volunteer, Leon invested in the lives of many people with wisdom as sturdy as an Oak Tree. This Mechanical Engineer provided energy for America for over 40 years. Leon was a husband to Vickie, father to Barbie and John, and adopted dad to his son-in-law Phil and daughter-in-law Kalene. Vickie and Leon journeyed together for over 50 years. Born into the projects of Oakland to a World War II veteran and daughter of Oklahoma homesteaders, Leon pursued the American Dream with the passion of a “lion.” Leon believed that “passion and practice” combined with “faith and family” is all one needs. While Leon had four siblings, he was particularly close with his older sister, Shirley (deceased), and youngest sister, Lisa. Leon met his wife Vickie as a teenager in California and the two fell passionately in love. As a child, Leon dreamed of overcoming poverty by moving to the Last Great Frontier, Alaska. To accomplish this dream, Leon worked oilrigs in the desert and Vickie worked as a housekeeper and hotel manager to put Leon through his Mechanical Engineering degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Within two years of graduation, the newlyweds and their newborn daughter, Barbie, were in Alaska. The California kids had to adjust quickly to the frigid cold. For the next 18 years, Leon literally engineered pipelines, peninsulas, and even an island for oil drilling. Their son John was born in Alaska and lived there until age eight when the family moved to Washington state. In Washington, Leon and Vickie spent years in ministry, watched both their children get married, and celebrated Leon’s patents and widespread usage of safe practices for refining. In 2013, Leon and Vickie moved to Texas, where Leon spent his final years. Leon worked as a Director for Acquisitions in the energy sector, consulting across the United States and Mexico. Leon selflessly cared for his teammates, their families, and even their souls. He did this by believing in the power of “integrity” and “reliability,” two words used in his last job title. Leon is deeply loved and survived by his wife Vickie, sister Lisa, daughter Barbie and her husband Phil, and son John and his wife Kalene. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to DiveHeart online here: https://m.facebook.com/nt/screen/?params=%7B%22fundraiser_campaign_id%22%3A792936588695668%2C%22source%22%3A%22external_url%22%7D&path=%2Ffundraiser%2F&wtsid=rdr_0UQCHuq9YaSsh8fjU&refsrc=deprecated&_rdr

Tributes

Leon Barry

January 11, 1956 - May 8, 2023