Barry Jenkins Obituary

Jenkins
BARRY WAYNE JENKINS
December 6, 2019
Barry Wayne Jenkins, 63, passed away on Friday, December 6th after a valiant struggle with glioblastoma, a rare brain cancer. Barry served as a tank company commander in the U.S. Army and retired with the rank of Major after 20 years. An entrepreneur, he went on to start two successful businesses with Merrill Austin, his business partner of twenty-seven years. MCS provides Porta Potties and sanitary services for military installations and training exercises nationwide. Thunderbolt Enterprises is a commercial real estate company.
Barry was born in Memphis, Tennessee to Virginia Jenkins, who owned a beauty shop in Cortland, MS, for fifty years, and Joe Howard Jenkins, who served in the army in Germany during World War II. He graduated from high school two years ahead of his class and then took off to hitch-hike through Europe before returning home to attend the University of Mississippi other wise known as Ole Miss in Oxford, MS. He earned an MBA St Ambrose University in Iowa.
Smart, honest, honorable, modest and intellectually light years ahead of the rest of us, Barry was a genius at organizing people and activities. He was an avid skier, hiker and yoga practitioner. He loved life and he loved to laugh, and he never felt sorry for himself even during his illness. He left the world a better place and he made everyone who met him a better person.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Bell, daughter Megan Jenkins, grandson Patrick Jenkins, mother, Virginia Jenkins, sister Jo-Jo Dantone-Debarbieris (Don), mother-in-law Jean Bell, step-children, Zoe Novotny & Noah Johnson, step-grandson Jonah Johnson, plus many cousins, uncles and aunts.
Barry loved spending time in the woods teaching his grandchildren about the world of flora, fauna and fungi. In lieu of flowers the family suggests making a donation to the Pikes Peak Mycological Society at pikespeakmyc.org. The family would also like to thank the staff at Brookdale at Skyline for going above and beyond the call of duty in caring for Barry during the last three months.
Graveside service was at Fairview Cemetery, on December 11, 2019.