Obituary
Ann Elizabeth Barry Allen, 73, died at home in Fort Myers Beach, FL on February 28, 2022. Ann is survived by her husband of fifty years, Jeff; her daughters, Heather (Dan) Bistyga of Greenville, SC and Sarah (Dino) Michalopoulos of Herndon, VA; her grandchildren, Emily and Aidan Bistyga and Charlotte and George Michalopoulos; her brother Fred (Sandra) Barry of Oak Ridge, TN; her Labrador retriever, Mosby; and many friends.
Ann, a lifelong seamstress, quilter and knitter, is also survived by her many beautiful handmade works of art. She made many of her clothes in her youth and completed her first quilt in 1979. She later noted that she remembered important life events by associating them with the quilt she was working on at the time. She was a proud member of the Patchwork Partners quilt club in Westerville, Ohio and the Columbus Metropolitan Quilters guild. After moving to Florida, Ann enjoyed knitting with her friends at Hooked On Ewe until the end of February. She also enjoyed the annual Patchwork Partners retreat and the Kanuga Knitting and Quilting retreat.
Ann was born September 2, 1948 to James C. Barry, Jr. and Miriam (Flohr) Barry. She graduated Bexley High School in 1966 and The Ohio State University in 1970. She met and married Jeff in 1972, and they lived in Westerville for forty years before moving to Fort Myers Beach, which they had visited since the 1980s. In Westerville, Ann was an active gardener, PTA member, Girl Scout troop leader, and gifted education advocate. She was also, at various times, a social worker, a Realtor, a teacher’s aide, and a substitute teacher.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to Hope Hospice of Fort Myers, whose caring staff brought comfort to Ann and her family in her final days, or to the Moffitt Cancer Center of Tampa.
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