Honorees

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Year Honored
1995
Honoree
Barry L Pendrey
Agency
Roanoke City Sheriff's Department
Agency City
Roanoke
Agency State
VA
Last Call
2/26/85
Cause of Death
Other Trauma
Biography
Deputy Barry Pendrey was employed as a paramedic by the Roanoke City Sheriff's Department. A licensed physician assistant and cardiac technician, he worked at the Roanoke City Jail from 1976 until his death there in the infirmary on Tuesday, February 26, 1985.<br /> <br /> At the time of his death, Barry was dispensing medication to inmates in the jail's infirmary. One inmate attacked Barry and beat him to death with an oxygen tank. The unprovoked attack was over in less than two minutes, and Barry was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 30 years old.<br /> <br /> Barry joined the Williamson Road Lifesaving and First Aid Crew, now part of Roanoke Emergency Medical Services REMS, as a junior member in 1971 and later moved up to captain of the crew. Eventually, he moved to the Cave Spring First Aid & Rescue Squad and was a volunteer with the squad until his death. Fellow crew members remember him as being conscientious and very cool-headed in an emergency. Barry was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police, the National SheriffsAssociation, the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, and Huntington Court United Methodist Church.<br /> <br /> After a brief funeral service attended by 1,200 police personnel, emergency medical service workers, friends and family members, the funeral procession moved to the cemetery where Life-Guard 10, a helicopter service to transport critically ill patients, flew over the grave site.<br /> <br /> Barry was dedicated to his wife Suzanne, mother Rachel Thomasson, and sisters Nancy and Deanna.<br /> <br /> Honored 1995