Barry Nelson Lentz, 71, died at his home in Greenville, SC, on January 3, 2018, after battling Lewy Body Dementia for several years. His final three weeks of life were spent under the care of Kindred Hospice, which allowed him to remain at home until the end.

Born in McMinnville, TN, Barry moved to Greenville in 1984. He was a founding Peacekeeper at the Peace Center and a regular patron of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Centre Stage, and the Greenville Little Theatre.

Barry held degrees in Business and Computer Science from the University of Tennessee and Colorado State. After serving in the Air Force, Barry worked for IBM for 35 years before retiring in 2009.

Barry is survived by his wife of 38 years, Cathy Austin Lentz, and their two daughters, Jenny Lentz Brosseau (and husband Mark) of Greer and Kathryn Lentz Higdon (and husband Casey) of Easley. He is also survived by a son, David Lentz (and Donna Davies), of Chicago, IL; a sister, Deborah Lentz Glenn, and her two children, Tedman and Deedra Glenn, all of Knoxville, TN; and countless friends and extended family. Barry lost his mother, Jo Dean Lentz, to dementia in 2015 and lost his father, Joe Bryant Lentz, to dementia in 2017.

Barry loved music, science, history, reading, movies, and playing cards and board games with family and friends. His dementia gradually robbed him of his ability to enjoy all of the things he loved except for music, which he was listening to when he died.

Most of all, Barry loved being a father, not only to his own children but also to his many “adopted” children: his children’s friends, exchange students, and children in the Mosaic After School program in which Barry volunteered passionately as a tutor before the dementia made it too difficult to continue. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made in Barry’s name to the Mosaic Educational and Arts Program, 7 Shannon Drive, Greenville, SC 29615.