It is with some real sorrow that we share the news that Barrington known to most, as Barry, sadly lost his long and brave fight against illness and passed away yesterday. Our sincere condolences to Barry’s family and to his many, many friends across the Aunt Sally, Golfing and Cricketing communities.
Barry was a true legend amongst the Aunt Sally community, not just our own Association, but wherever Aunt Sally is played. His name was known and his superb talent was recognised by so many who have played the game over the many years that Barry represented our game, as one of the very best Aunt Sally players to have ever graced the oche! As a solid anchorman he earned the nickname ‘Iceman’ because of his coolness under pressure.
And I mean no disrespect to all of the great players past and present when I suggest that Barry ranks that highly amongst his peers.
Barry Parker 2016 World Aunt Sally Champion
Barry won probably every individual, pairs and team trophies that has ever been played several times and though much of his Aunt Sally career was spent playing for Abingdon United (where he has the shed named after him!) he also helped, and led several other teams and individuals to titles in both our league and in our Competitions. Barry, of course, most fittingly won the World Championship in 2016 after finishing Runner up in 2014.
Barry’s sporting prowess was not limited just to Aunt Sally, he had many sporting loves. Barry was a long term member of Frilford Golf Club where, not surprisingly, he claimed many trophies and was one of the founder members of the CBF Golf Society. Barry was also a very talented cricketer playing at County level with Cowley St John, locally with B H Polley’s x1, not forgetting his “one off” appearance for one of the Caribbean Islands. His footballing career was not quite so successful as his Aunt Sally, Golf or Cricket, but he did feature for Osberton Radiators for several seasons in the Oxford Senior League.
We will, in due course, share, on this site, details of Barry’s funeral arrangements so that we can all take the opportunity, if we can, to show our respect and say an appropriate goodbye to Barry.
We will, I am sure, in conjunction with his team mates past and present also hold an appropriate competition as a long term memorial serving not only in Barry’s memory, but also revering his Aunt Sally achievements.
