Obituary of Wylie Winfield Barrow Jr.

Wylie Winfield Barrow, Jr. passed peacefully on April 23, 2024, filled with the love of his family and friends. At 88, he was still a beloved character with a great sense of humor. Somewhere in the heavens right now, his bugle can be heard blowing his signature charge calls.

Born on September 19, 1935 to Wylie Sr. and Mary (McQueen) Barrow, Wylie grew up in Washington, DC, attending Randolph-Macon Academy in high school, then starting at Roanoke College, and graduating from George Washington University in 1958 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Like his father, he was active in Sigma Chi fraternity, serving as chapter president his senior year. He was also a founding member of the “Original Eight” at GWU, starting the Crew program there in 1956. He earned an MBA from Northeastern University in 1966 after taking night classes for four years, all while raising three small children. He was a registered Professional Engineer (PE) specializing in water purification technologies.

While working at his first job at RCA just outside of Philadelphia in 1958, Wylie met the love of his life, Helen Storey, on a blind date, which marked the beginning of 66 amazing years together. They married in 1960 and moved to Massachusetts two years later to start raising their family of three children, Michael, Jeffrey, and Lynda. In 1971 they moved from their home in Chelmsford to Duxbury, MA, and Wylie spent two decades as Vice President of Operations at Vaponics in Plymouth, MA designing and engineering customized water purification equipment. Eventually he opened his own consulting firm, Winfield Associates, and continued to practice his craft until well into his 70’s. His trusty boat, the Ole Wazoo, was always either in the driveway being prepped for the season or in the water trying to catch fish. 

Wylie was a gifted woodworker and handyman who was constantly building things for the home and yard in his basement workshop. He had a green thumb and love for vegetable gardening, generously sharing his bountiful harvest with neighbors and friends. He was an accomplished home brewer, crafting many batches of Gym Brew IPA with his weight lifting buddies.

Wylie loved youth sports, and coached all three of his children over many years during the 1970’s in Duxbury in football, basketball, softball, and baseball. He adored watching his 5 grandchildren compete and perform in multiple sports and activities, and we cherish the memories of him blowing charge at our games, events, and graduations. In later years, he volunteered with Project Gurnet and Bug Lights. In 2012, he was honored as a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his decades of volunteering in Duxbury. He was a wonderful husband, father, brother, son, uncle, grandfather, coach, leader, friend, and neighbor.

Wylie is survived by his loving family, including his wife Helen of Duxbury, MA, his children Michael Barrow of Denver, CO, Jeffrey (Donna) Barrow of Marshfield, MA, and Lynda (David) Whyte of Plymouth MA, his grandchildren Stephen, Brian, & Jessica Whyte, David & Katherine Barrow, and his two sisters Jane (Ditty) Barrow and Marilyn (Lyndie) Sutherland. 

We will continue to remember him when using his many unique “Wylieisms” that were spoken best by him, including: “How's your ole wazoo?”  “I'm tellin’ Helen!”  “Nurse I'm worse!” 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Wylie’s name to the exceptionally caring staff at Newfield House nursing home (Newfield House Staff Appreciation Fund, 19 Newfield Street, Plymouth, MA, 02360), or to Cranberry Hospice at bidplymouth.org/services/hospice. There will be a celebration of life for Wylie on July 13th at Pilgrim Church in Duxbury.