A memorial service is planned on Tuesday, Jan. 25, for friends and neighbors of Paul Barrow, 46, co-partner of the Devonaire Service and Tire Inc., who was shot and killed by an unknown individual on the morning of Dec. 16.
A Celebration of Life is planned at the Cortland Industrial Park Citizens Crime Watch as part of a general meeting, arranged by a longtime friend of Barrow, Richard Freer, and co-chair of the group with Richard Squires.
A representative from the Miami-Dade Police Department has been invited to address the session at 3 p.m. in the Crossings Commerce Center, 12590 SW 128 St.
“Paul was always a professional,” recalled Freer, who said he and Barrow were truck rental agents in the 1970s. “I knew Paul to be resilient, reliable, dependable, affable and considerate.”
Freer said Barrow once operated from the Chevron service station on Kendall Drive at SW 100th Avenue and later “moved closer to my neighborhood, working as a mechanic at the Devonaire Chevron Station at SW 122nd Avenue.
When the station discontinued doing repairs, he opened up the Devonaire tire and service center in the adjacent shopping center,” Freer added.
Born Oct. 13, 1964, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Barrow was educated in the Miami-Dade public school system where he attended Miami Sunset Senior High School, Testament to Barrow’s many friendships and business reputation were more than 130 messages praising his service, honesty and upbeat personality, posted on a memorial website.
Known for waiving charges when customers were unable to pay, Paul was typically described by Wilma Reschetar of Kendall as “a man of integrity…we should strive to emulate. He was generous, caring, honest and compassionate…doing what he did best for his customers.”
Funeral services were held Dec. 21, in Temple Bet Breira Samu-El Or Olom, 9400 SW 87 Ave. Internment followed at Mount Nebo Cemetery.
Barrow is survived by his wife, Audree; daughters, Jennifer Webb, Hannah Webb and Stefani Barrow; a brother, Daniel Barrow; half-brother, Rick Barrow, and mother, Sylvia Barrow.
Barrow was found with a gunshot wound to his head by a customer around 8 a.m. on Dec. 16 in the shop, at 12253 SW 112 St., which normally opens at 9 a.m. He died soon after being airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
MDPD officials investigating to determine if the shooting involved a customer or robbery said the case would be continued to be handled as an “open investigation” until further notice.
