March 6, 2021
Barrett, Walter E. Jr.
Walter Edwin “Bud” Barrett Jr., a longtime resident of Dedham, died Friday, March 5, 2021 at his home in Dedham. He was 95. Bud was born June 19, 1925 in Boston, Massachusetts, the only son of Walter Edwin Barrett Sr. and Clara (Towner) Barrett McClutchey. He was raised by his foster parents, George C. Morris and Lucy Bell (MacPhee) Morris. Bud graduated from Hyde Park High School as the Class Vice President with the Class of 1942. After High School he worked for the Sturtevant Company in Hyde Park and then as an electrician for the New Haven Railroad. He volunteered for the Army in 1944 and was Honorably discharged as a Corporal in the Army Air Corps 18 months later due to a surplus of volunteers in his specialty. Bud earned his Bachelor’s Degree and his Master’s Degree in Social Work from Boston University. He started his professional career as the Youth Director for the Cambridge YMCA and then became the School Adjustment Counsellor for the Dedham School Department until his retirement in 1995. Bud’s passions were varied, from antique autos, harness horses, gardening, and cooking, and he enjoyed a good parade. He was a Past President of the Bay State Antique Auto Club and owned a restored 1931 Model A Huckster. Bud had a groomer’s license for harness horsemen and he groomed horses at Foxboro racetrack and at private stables. He loved history and was a member of the Dedham Historical Society. Bud joined his interests and wrote a history of the Readville Racetrack. He was a Past President of the Dedham Retired Men’s Club, a trustee of St. John’s Preschool, and an active member of the Allin Congregational Church in Dedham where he had served as a Deacon. Bud is survived by his wife, Olive Day (Emerson) Barrett; his daughter, Susan B. Sisk, and her husband Robert, of Nashua, New Hampshire; his two sons, Alan W. Barrett of Dedham, and Steven D. Barrett, and his wife Aline, of Westwood; and his brother, Jerry Morris of Scarborough, Maine. He was the brother of the late George C. Morris, and the late Evelyn Orcutt. Visiting hours will be held Monday, March 8th from 2-4 pm at the Folsom Funeral Home, 87 Milton Street, Dedham. His funeral service will be Tuesday at 11 am at the funeral home followed by interment in Brookdale Cemetery, Dedham. Masks are required in the funeral home and at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations to Hospice Services of MA, 681 Main Street, Haverhill, MA 01832 would be appreciated.
Comments(19)
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Bud was a close friend of my parents, Liz and Fred Bryant, for many years. They all attended St. John’s Methodist church and later Allin Congregational Church. We all knew and liked Bud, who was a frequent presence around our house, dropping by to visit and leave his wonderful tomatoes and sometimes tomato plants for my mother. It brings back many memories to see his name, as well as sadness.
Bud was a wonderful man, a wonderful person and a person who loved and was loved by many, many people. He enjoyed life, and he enjoyed being with people.
He will be missed!!!
Bud was a lovely person who was loved and who loved many people. It was easy to smile at Bud because he enjoyed and was comfortable with people of many ethnics and many interests.
Mr Barrett was a blessing to my family when I was young. His compassion and patience was matched by his kindness to me and my poor folks. I know he touched many lives and I am just grateful that I was one of them.
My deepest sympathies to his family and Thank You for sharing your Dad. ❤️
Bud was a close friend of both my parents, Liz and Fred Bryant, so all of us three children have also known him for many years. I was very sorry to learn that he had passed away, and extend sympathy to Olive and their family on behalf of myself, my spouse and my siblings. Bud and my parents knew each other through their membership in St. John’s church, and my mother and Bud both joined Allin Congregational after St. John’s closed. (My father had died before that.) Bud was a great friend to my mother in her later years. I recall that he brought her tomatoes from his garden for many years, and helped her buy a car after my father died. I always enjoyed seeing him in his antique Dodge, and hearing his stories of the Readville race track. All of us will miss him.
My condolences. Bud came to my house to give me pointers on making baked beans with a pressure cooker. (He even gave me the pressure cooker!) It was always a pleasure to chat with him over coffee after church on Sunday. Such an interesting man – and so kind.
Susan Akie
Bud was a fantastic educator who helped many young students through a variety of issues. He was also a true friend and a loyal fan of BU hockey. He was a man of many interests and I will always remember his spending the day visiting Camp Massapoag taking pictures of the campus and activities. He will be sorely missed. He was one in a million.
He was a wonderful neighbor and he will be greatly missed.
Bud Barrett was my first boss when I worked at the Cambridge Y day camp for 3 summers in 1959, 60 and 62 at ages 15-18. He was always supportive and ran a spirited camp and had attracted some great staff and children from all
Over Cambridge. The work broadened my world and I never forgot his help and kindness.
My sympathies to his family and friends.
We remember Bud with great fondness.
What a special person Bud was. I would drive him to visit Ollie and he would tell me wonderful stories about his life. His special adopted family. Working on steam trains for the war. His time in the military, crew chief on aircraft. Later in life how many children he helped through the years. He was a kind and gentle man. He was the very best Santa at the auto club and at Eastman Kodak where I worked for many many years. Rest in peace my friend. The world is a better place because you were in it for 95 years.
My thoughts and prayers go with you all.
An outstanding leader in education and counseling, “Bud” was a second father to me, my mentor, and my friend since 1975 when I came to Dedham and we shared a school office until his retirement. Kind, caring, and thoughtful, he can truly be called irreplaceable.
We are really sorry to hear about Bud. He would come over with one of his articles and visit. Him and Bill would discuss the old cars . They would also see Harvey Vogel. We will be thinking of all of you and our best wishes to everyone
I will miss BUD and all his stories. Prayers for Olive, Steve, Alan and Sue.
An interesting man of many interests. A good author. A good person. Bud will be missed.
I was a Cambridge YMCA Day Camper in 1959 when I first met Bud. He was a special person who took a real interest in those of us who were trying to make friends, learn how to compete, and figure out how to get along. He took a special interest in those kids who might be different from others. We learned that we were all equal and immediately dispelled any prejudices we might show. From Bud we learned fair play, tolerance, respect, and patience. When we got to high school, those of us from the Y had many friends of color, other religions, and what we now call English Language Learners all of whom grew up at the Y under the oversight of Bud Barrett, and many of us remember him fondly to this day even though he departed for Dedham in 1962. My sympathies to his family.
Bud was Camp Massapoag’s “official photographer”. The summer camp, near Dunstable, MA, was run by the Cambridge Y during my time as a camper there, 1960-66. At the end of each two-week camping period, we’d all be rounded up, usually near the archery field, for a group photo by him, which we could then order 8×10 glossies of (in glorious B&W). Bud would stand at the top of a ladder, peering out at us over his view camera, sharply whistling and directing us like a traffic cop so we’d all fit in the picture. We liked him, but also had a healthy respect for him. He seemed to have a way with everything.
I had no idea, until now, of the hugeness of his background and the expanse of his soul. I just learned of his passing from a posting in the “Kids who Grew Up in North Cambridge” Facebook page. My sincere condolences and best wishes to his family.