He graduated from Jamaica High School in Queens and began his college studies at Queens College. He won a full scholarship to Princeton, earning his A.B., M.A., and Ph.D. there.
Barry began teaching at Centenary College of Louisiana and C.W. Post before joining the faculty at Hofstra University in 1987. He taught Shakespeare, medieval literature, and Holocaust studies until 2016, when a debilitating stroke cut short his career. He served as chair of the English department and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Barry also co-authored a textbook, Lit: Literature and Interpretative Techniques. He was an extraordinary educator with high standards for his students and himself. Barry loved literature, the theater, and the arts and used his signature wit and smile to charm friends and strangers alike. He spent many hours in his beloved Prospect Park and enjoyed fly fishing, fine wine, and food.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Ann Powell; two sons, Jacob and Eli; and a brother, Frank. Donations in his memory can be made to the Kane Street Synagogue or the Prospect Park Alliance.