Elayne R. Barry

Elayne R. Barry, 91, of Rhinebeck, formerly of Woodstock, died Thursday, March 24, 2016 at Thompson House. Born in the Bronx, she was a daughter of the late Hermon & Anne Singer. Elayne is survived by two sons, Scott Ian Barry of Rhinebeck, and Harmon Glen Barry, along with her brother, Lloyd Rhodes, and his son, Elayne's nephew, Morgan. Elayne was predeceased by her husband, World War II veteran, Martin Barry, who passed in 2013. Son, Scott, recalls a colorful anecdote that Elayne imparted to him over the years: being a prime example of the colorful life that his mother led. As a little girl, Elayne took baths in their upscale apartment, in the Bronx, New York, in a rather "unusual" way. It seems that her father, an adventurous man of "good cheer," and fine sense of humor, received a baby alligator, in the email, one day. A prank, sent to him by a "friend," in Florida. Well, no shrinking violet, he, Elayne's father, said: 'If Joe sent us this "gift," to befuddle us, then we'll keep this fine, young, reptilian fellow, and raise him as our own, as a member of the family. We'll keep him in the bathtub, close to the water that an alligator needs. The upshot of this story? When little Elayne had the need to take a bath, the family's Cuban maid, Conseula, would enter the bathroom, pull the alligator from the tub, place the reptilian family member on its back, rub its belly up-and-down, to put it to sleep. Then, clean out the tub, and place little Elayne in the fresh bath-water. Thus was the life of Elayne Barry. A graveside service will be conducted on Monday, March 28, 2016 at Montrepose Cemetery, at 10:00 AM, with Cantor Bob Cohen of Congregation Emanuel, officiating.