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Barry Reich
- Published: November 30, 2023
(1945-2023)
Barry Philip Reich of Yellow Springs, Ohio, died surrounded by his wife, all of his children and many family and friends in Springfield, Ohio, on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. Born to Malcolm and Dorothy Reich of Urbana, Ohio, in 1945, Barry spent much of his childhood helping at their family business, The Boston Store, located in downtown Urbana. He was a proud Hillclimber, as a graduate of Urbana High school, going on to study history and mathematics at Otterbein University, finally earning his law degree at Georgetown University.
Barry Reich was an enigmatic man of constants. He spent a lifetime in Ohio, with his final 23 years located in the funky town of Yellow Springs, just 30 minutes away from where he grew up in Urbana. Yet, Barry was one of the better-traveled men around. His many excursions took him all over the United States and Europe, as well as Egypt and Brazil. He particularly loved Florence and traveled there as often as he could.
Married three times, Barry often said, “third time’s the charm.” He was a devoted husband to the love of his life, Jennifer Butler, of Urbana. While they started as high school prom dates, it wasn’t until later in their lives that their timeless romance was able to finally blossom, and his happiest years were spent gardening, hosting parties and traveling with Jen.
Barry was proud to be a professional, and was a partner at the local law firm Cole, Acton, Harmon, and Dunn for 52 years. He maintained an office in Yellow Springs and was known as a kind and supportive resource to his clients and their families. There might not be many lawyers out there who volunteered their services like Barry.
Barry was also proud to be a man of letters, and he was an avid and wide-ranging reader. A great conversationalist, Barry’s cultural tastes were current, despite his deep knowledge of classics. Like many in his family, he loved music, and in addition to singing, he played the piano and trombone, marching in the high school band. He was often at concerts, museums, ball games and theater shows, and he appreciated fine food.
He is survived by his wife, Jen Reich, of Yellow Springs; his children, Stephanie Reich, and her two children, Dex and Theo, of Montpelier, Vermont, and Sam Reich, of Granville, Ohio, as well as his stepchildren, Todd Hahn, of Yellow Springs, Nathan Meier, of Brooklyn, New York, Caleb Meier, and his wife, Leslie (whose children, Alana and Aiden, knew him as Grandpa Barry), of New Canaan, Connecticut, and Tenacity Free Meier, of Nelson County, Virginia; his brother and sister-in-law, Marty and Lynn Reich, of Urbana, Ohio; and cousin Jeff Reich, of Yellow Springs.
A service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are in care of Jackson Lytle & Lewis Funeral Home, Yellow Springs.
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One of the greatest men that I ever had the privilege of knowing. He made a deep and profound change in my life. He taught me many lessons, some of which I was not mature enough to appreciate. But that was him, doing what he thought was right staying true to who was.
I cannot repay your great kindness and wisdom, but I will do my best to pay it forward.