Instead of roasting Chips Barry on Friday night at a farewell banquet, nearly a thousand people gathered to pay their last respects.
The memorial event at the Wells Fargo Theater at the Colorado Convention Center was originally scheduled to celebrate and joke about Barry’s retirement, and many of the speakers had a head start on their speeches. Some admitted they were instructed by Barry on which stories to tell.
Ellen Barry, his younger sister, said she had planned to talk about how difficult it was to trail Barry — often being recognized only as his sister.
“I am not complaining now. He was my hero,” she said.
Barry, 66, was killed May 2 when the tractor he was driving fell on him at his macadamia-nut farm on Hawaii’s Big Island.
“I am angry and sad that you will no longer get to work on your farm in the middle of the ocean,” Ellen Barry said as she teared up. “But ‘it is what it is’ — one of your favorite sayings lately.”
Barry had planned to retire in July from his job as manager of Denver Water after 19 years.
During his time there, Denver Water implemented a conservation program that speakers Friday called a national model.
Among those in attendance were Mayor John Hickenlooper and Gov. Bill Ritter, who each issued official proclamations.
The official proclamation from the city of Denver marked May 21 as Chips Barry Day.
“We will not see his likes again,” Hickenlooper said.
Hickenlooper and Barry had a friendship that started with one of Barry’s favorite sports, squash, long before Hickenlooper was elected to office.
Between tears and laughter, relatives, co-workers and many friends recalled Barry’s humor most of all.
His wife of almost 42 years, Gail Barry, said a good sense of humor was a requirement for a good marriage.
“Chips had more friends than anyone I’ve ever known,” said Barbe Chambliss, Barry’s best friend. “He collected friends.”
Others who spoke agreed that his humor and caring for others was what allowed him to have so many friends.
“Every time I interacted with him, his biggest concern was Colorado,” Ritter said. “He was devoted to a win-win-win situation. He was a giant of a man.”
Guestbooks, and still photographers and video cameramen were available for those who wanted to tell and preserve their stories about Barry.
An e-mail address also was set up to collect stories for a blog that will preserve the stories for Barry’s grandchildren.
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1638 or yrobles@denverpost.com
