Matthew Joseph Barron

Matthew "Joe" Barron, 69, of Hope Mills, NC, unexpectedly passed away on 20 February 2026. Joe was born on 1 October 1956, in Washington, D.C. to his parents, Dewey and Leocadia (née Kurowicki) Barron, both of whom preceded him in death.

Joe graduated from Garfield High School in Woodbridge, VA, and was a proud member of the Class of 1974. He went on to work for over 40 years in concrete construction and carpentry where his work was evident in the explosive development in Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Joe was also honored as a member of the construction crew entrusted with the Pentagon reconstruction program, The Phoenix Project, which not only repaired damage to the Pentagon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks but also erected a memorial to those who perished.

Joe enjoyed music, would often speak in movie quotes, and was quick to strike up a conversation with anyone. He would rewatch his favorite films regularly, and he spoke frequently of the works of his favorite author, Ernest Hemingway, and actor, Humphrey Bogart. He was an ardent lover of fishing and antiquing—if you were in a hurry to get to your destination, you could not go with Joe, especially on back roads, as he moved at his own pace and would want to stop at every garage sale, flea market, road stand, or antique mall along the way. Joe also became greatly invested in greyhound rescue and adoption work, and he doted on his beloved retired racing greyhounds, Skye (Clear Skye) and Styx (Kiowa Chinese). You could often find him at local greyhound meet and greets, riding around with Styx and Skye, or watching tv with his treasured hounds.

Most importantly, Joe was a cherished father, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend to many, and he is already terribly missed by family and friends. Joe leaves behind many people to cherish his memory, including: his children, Danielle (Chris) French of Cuyahoga Falls, OH, and Mark (Ali) Barron of Dumfries, VA, five grandchildren, Roman and Scarlett Millette of Kingman, AZ, and Delaney Gonzalez, Sloane Barron, and Silas Barron of Dumfries, VA, three siblings, Michael (Susan) Barron of North Carolina, Annette (Bill) Van Horn of Tennessee, and David (Cathy) Barron of Florida, many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and numerous friends.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, 15 March 2026, from 2-5p at Potomac Shores Woods Recreation Center (1790 Autumn Maple Leaf Dr., Dumfries, VA), and any family or friends of Joe are welcome to attend and to celebrate his life and memory.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you instead make donations in Joe’s name to any greyhound organization, including active adoption agencies like Allies for Greyhounds or nonprofits dedicated to greyhounds like The Greyhound Project, or to your local humane shelter, animal services center, or pet rescue.