Barry Arthur Horst passed away in Tucson on October 27, 2024. Barry was born in Michigan, on September 7, 1942. He lived a life full of adventure and love. As a young man, shortly before moving to Arizona with his family, he qualified for the 1960 Olympic swim team. Unfortunately, a debilitating football injury squashed that dream. At 17 years old he joined the US Navy and served on a mine sweeper during the Vietnam War. During his time in the US Navy, he met and married his first wife and had three children: Vern, Suzanne, and Natashya. In the mid 1960s Barry had a brief career as an actor in the Philippines, playing the ¨bad guy¨. Upon returning to the United States, Barry became a medical professional working directly with patients and later as an administrator of a multi-specialty clinic. While in the medical industry, Barry met his second wife and had two more children, Scott and Brent. Barry had an affinity for helping others, which led him to sponsor a family of eight from Laos, taking them into his home for 18 months. They became part of his family and to this day, the family is still involved with the Horst family. Barry´s service to the community inspired him to become a Baha´i, the religion of Unity. He was active in serving the communities of Peoria, Tucson, and Douglas in volunteer and elected capacities.

Eventually, in the early 2000´s, Barry earned his teaching certificate and moved to Douglas to teach biology at Douglas High School. He was an innovative and creative educator. He often said that teaching was his most fulfilling career and he loved being part of his students´ learning. Not only was he involved in their learning, but he strived for the youth in the community by assisting in organizing the Jr. Youth Empowerment Program, which is a youth group sponsored by the local Baha'i.

Barry loved to feed people, from family to friends to the homeless. He would prepare large quantities of food, and taking it to the hungry, wherever he found them. He was dubbed ¨The Big Dipper¨, by those he fed. Barry believed everyone deserved seconds if they needed them. Not only did he believe in seconds for food, but he believed in second chances and helping others achieve their dreams.

Barry achieved his greatest contentment in the final decade of his life when he married his greatest love, Norma. They shared the joy of each other's company and watching their family grow. Through Norma, Barry gained additional daughters Eva, Damaris, and Estella.

Barry is survived by a large extended family of 15 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews and brothers and sisters.