Wallace 'Wally' Barrows

Wallace H. "Wally" Barrows, 86, of Cape Girardeau, passed away unexpectedly Friday, April 10, 2015, at his home.

Born on Nov. 21, 1928, in Chicago, he was the son of the late Howard Mills and Juanita Hazel Robertson Barrows of De Soto, Missouri.

Wally was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon B. Barrows of Cape Girardeau; his two children, Thomas (Debbie) Barrows of Oak Ridge and Terry (Lori) Barrows of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; three grandsons, Christopher Heath (Madalyn King) Barrows of Perryville, Missouri, Dustin Thomas Barrows of Fruitland and Wallace Clayton Barrows of Bartlesville; one granddaughter, Haley Renee Barrows of Bartlesville; a stepson, David (Laura) Hulcy; a stepdaughter, Margaret (Tony) Wiggins; three stepgranddaughters, Zane Elizabeth and Gabrielle Hulcy and Madalyn Wiggins of Cape Girardeau; and two great-grandchildren, Hunter Michael and Lydia Marie Barrows, both of Perryville.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Wally spent his childhood in De Soto, and graduated from De Soto High School in 1946. He achieved his B.S.E. in physical education and history in 1955 from Southeast Missouri State College, a master's degree in education (M.E.) in physical education and school administration from the University of Mississippi in 1958 and a Ph.D. in school administration from St. Louis University in 1976.

He served in the United States Air Force from 1948 to 1952, played varsity basketball at Southeast Missouri State, taught swimming for the Red Cross in the summer and coached all levels of baseball, including Cape American Legion. He worked as director of the Migrant Education Center in 1975 while working on his dissertation in migrant education for St. Louis University.

He held many teaching and coaching positions in Parma, Bourbon and Potosi, Missouri, and then served in various positions as a principal before serving as superintendent of Nell Holcomb R-4 for 13 years.

He met Sharon B. Barenkamp while working on his undergraduate degree. Life took a different turn for each of them but brought them back together, and they married March 23, 1982.

Wally was an athlete and an avid sports fan and loved spending time outdoors. He enjoyed Cardinals baseball, and would often be among the crowd at SEMO basketball and Capaha baseball games, as well as a coach for his grandson's baseball teams and a supporter of his granddaughters' soccer, basketball and volleyball games.

He was a talented artist and photographer, often surprising friends with pen- and-ink renditions of their homes and donating pieces for charity events. He loved vacations at Gulf Shores, Alabama, and trips involving family and friends.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Dave Conley officiating.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Capaha Field Improvement Committee.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.