John Barrington ("Barry") Winn

Four generations are blessed to have learned from and been loved by John Barrington Winn, known by all as Barrie. His great-grandson, Lucas Jewett, was just a Wee Bairn when Barrie first held him. Tears of joy and kindness in his eyes and in his smile welcomed the youngest member of our family. Grandchildren Jennifer Jewett (Joel), Nels Winn (Sadie Shattuck), Kelly Winn, and Joe Walrath (Jordan Johnson) cherish memories of Papa/Pa sharing stories, speaking in accents, and leading them through the trails of Tír na nóg. Barrie’s children, Tim Winn (Krista) and Deb Walrath (Greg), gained strength, wisdom, compassion, and an appreciation for silence and simplicity. Barrie and his beloved bride, Ann (Novak), who preceded him in death, were incomparable models of faithfulness, unconditional love, and servant leadership. Family was always the priority, and those values remain the cornerstone of the Winn/Walrath lineage.

But let’s go back to the beginning.

Barrie was born October 20, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois, to John and Evelyn Winn, immigrants from England. In 1941 brother, Winston Derek, expanded the family and sadly died two years later. Dad often shared vignettes of growing up in the era of Al Capone, the iceman delivering blocks of ice for the “icebox,” and living through the Great Depression and WWII. Eventually, Barrie headed to the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, where he earned a degree in History and felt the impact of being a ‘Yankee’ in the Deep South.

One of his friends there invited him to fight fires in Oregon. Always up for an adventure, he went. Although the administration was hesitant to train a boy from Chicago, Barrie aced his exams, became the lead smoke chaser in the Rogue River Forest at Union Creek near Crater Lake, and carried that experience forward as chief of the University of Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department. He often shared his experience of losing his bearings deep in the forest while returning to the fire truck after leading the suppression team. The lifelong lesson learned that day was that when you cannot find your way, sit down. Just stop, breathe, and think through it. After a few minutes, Dad made his way to safety.

Raised in the Episcopal Church, Barrie successfully attended Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Chicago and was quickly ordained to the transitional deaconate and priesthood in 1957. This calling, along with his love of the Pacific Northwest, led him and his young family to Des Moines, Washington, where he became the first vicar of St. Columba Episcopal Church. During his 60+ year ministry, Barrie served congregations in Bellingham, Tacoma, Silverdale, Issaquah, and Kingston. In the Diocese of Olympia, he led the first wilderness hike out of Camp Huston in the early 1960’s, co-developed the Leadership Skills Institute, and mentored clergy and congregations as a regional archdeacon. Even in his last days, Barrie was concerned about preparing for mid-week and Sunday services. His dedication to the priesthood surpassed everything but his devotion to his family.

Dad was known for sharing memorized poetry, or bits of wisdom. If someone held the door open, or greeted him with a smile, he would offer this recitation:

          Kindness

          The word kindness has a gentle sound

          It seems to echo the presence of compassionate goodness.

          Kindness itself casts a different light,

          An evening light.

          That has the depth of color and patience

          To illuminate what is complex and rich in difference.

          When someone is kind to you

          You feel understood and seen.

                                                               ~ John O’Donohue

As he prepared us for his eventual death, he gave us:

          The Poetry of Life

          The warmth of touch, the strength of gentleness,

          The glory of color, the force of love.

          These are the things that help us to a better perspective of tragedy and loss,

          The hurt and pain that make up life.

          We shall become the poets of that life when we sing and dance for the right reasons, and when we weep, not because we have           

          lost something, but because we were given so much.

                                                                     Anthony Padovano, Dawn Without Darkness

Barrie is described as charming, thoughtful, wise, loving, knowledgeable, gentle, humble, exceptional, wonderful, sweet, a gem, and more. When asked how he wanted to be remembered, Barrie reflected and then said, “I was a nice guy.”

Four days before his 95th birthday, the morning of Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, our dear, sweet, beloved dad passed away peacefully. Barrie lived a full and glorious life, adored by his family and many friends. Dad's legacy of joy, kindness, and the twinkle in his eye lives on in us: his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild.

Ride easy in the saddle, Papa. We love you!

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 pm on Dec. 5, 2026

St. Columba’s Episcopal Church

26715 Military Road S., Kent, Washington 98032

Donations gratefully accepted for the ongoing ministry of St. Columba Episcopal Church.

https://www.stcolumbakent.org/donations