Barrett Brothers Park (St. Louis, Missouri)

USA / Missouri / Hillsdale / St. Louis, Missouri / St Louis Ave
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The Barrett Brothers
The Barrett brothers were young men who lived and played in this north St. Louis neighborhood as boys. They gave up their lives during World War II, along with four of
their cousins – all great-grandsons of Irish famine immigrants Patrick and Mary Barrett.
The park was dedicated to their memory in 1947.

Pfc. (Infantry) Francis P “Frank” Barrett, Jr. (1917-1945) died in Germany on 17 Apr 1945 after the German defeat, during the last days of World War II (V-E Day was 8 May 1945). According to his cousin Kathleen Barrett Price, “He was walking down the street after the war was over and was shot by a sniper.” He is buried in the Netherlands.
He was 28 years old, leaving his wife Marie behind.

Marine Sgt. Florance “Florrie” Barrett (1919-1944) died on 16 Dec 1944, in Guadalcanal, of leukemia at the age of 25. He saw action in the campaign of 1942 as an aviation mechanic. Apparently he knew he was ill, came home on leave, but chose to return to Guadalcanal. He was reburied 13 Jan 1949 in the National Memorial Cemetery of The Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Frank and Florrie Barrett were the sons of Francis and Molly Curran Barrett, 2519 Semple Avenue.

www.madinpursuit.com/Family/Barrett/Barrett%20Brothers%...
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Coordinates:   38°40'52"N   90°16'29"W

Comments

  • Born in 1940 I grew up in a four-family flat just south of Barrett Brothers Park. At that time our building, 5865-67, was surrounded on the west and north by open fields. To the north along the park ran the Wabash Railroad, with the Cannonball and Bluebird coming within five minutes of each other each morning heading for Detroit and Chicago. To the west ran the City Limits streetcar line on an enbankment one block south of Kienlen Avenue. On Roosevelt we had no idea that a five-minute walk away was the totally different world of the Normandy School District. My father was a streetcar motorman and took me and my brother on rides to Ferguson and other faraway spots on his one day off a week. It was strange to grow up in large city that within a few steps turned into a rural setting. Our downstairs neighbor even had a stable and horses next to the flat. The area was a melting pot of Catholics, Protestants, Jews of every ethnic origin imaginable and we all formed one big family. The 1940s were so innocent by today's standards it really is unimaginable to most people. The park played a big role in the lives of us children who lived near it as when I was growing up there were very few organized activities for kids in the summer. We made our own fun right close to home.
This article was last modified 10 years ago