Barry Forrest Bone

February 17, 1940 - February 16, 2019

Barry Forrest Bone passed away peacefully in San Francisco on February 16, 2019, one day short of his 79th birthday. Surrounding him with love during his final hours were his partner Barbara, son Greg, sister Brenda and her children Jana, Nicki, and Joel with his wife Shelly along with Barry’s great nieces Taylor, Alex and Hayley.

Born in Indiana, Pennsylvania to Gretchen and Walter Bone, Barry spent his early years in Clymer, PA, before the family moved to Riverview, Michigan where he became Riverview High School’s star quarterback and won an academic scholarship to attend Michigan State University. He earned his bachelor’s degree from MSU, where he was a proud member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, returning for his MBA after serving as a Lieutenant in the US Army Intelligence Corps stationed in Frankfurt, Germany.

Barry’s time in Germany sparked a lifelong love of travel: from sailing the Greek Islands in his 30s to cofounding a cookie company in Germany in his 40s to becoming part owner of Chateau de la Poiteviniere in the Loire Valley of France in his 50s. He traveled the world from Beijing to Istanbul and spent many happy days in England, France and Italy.

Barry began his career as a brand manager for General Foods in New York before becoming an advertising account manager at Honig-Cooper & Harrington in San Francisco. He then went on to form the Barry Bone Group, a creative marketing consulting firm in San Francisco. A lifelong gourmet, Barry co-wrote, with Joanne Donsky, Le Crème de la Crème, A Guide to the Very Best Restaurants of France, published in 1982 by Harper & Row. The book was described by Simone Beck, co-author of several cookbooks with Julia Child, as ‘a masterpiece.’ Barry was the proud and loving grandfather of Charlie, adoring uncle of Jana and her husband Mike, Nicki and Joel and their children Taylor, Alex, Abby, Hayley, Josh and Jake. He was the very best of brothers to Brenda, the proud and loving father of Greg and father-in-law to Marina, and the cherished partner of 26 years to Barbara.

He will be sorely missed by all of us who had the great fortune of spending time with this warm, funny, generous and adventurous man.