Wednesday was a great day for Jim Barlow.
After his boss dedicated a new company headquarters in his name, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith declared the day officially “Jim Barlow Day,” and a herd of friends presented him with a cake layered in thick buttercream frosting,he had one more demand.
“Sing on key!” he shouted as the group launched into a chorus of “Happy Birthday.” Surprising him on his 82nd birthday, county politicians, friends and co-workers gathered to honor the war hero and community legend.
A lifelong Catonsville resident and master bricklayer, Barlow has been working for the past two years building chimneys for McDowell?s Complete Chimney Service Inc., which opened a new Lansdowne headquarters last week. Company owner Wayne McDowell threw the surprise party for his employee, where he dedicated the new office in his name.
McDowell said the two met when he stopped to admire Barlow?s brickwork at Ship?s Cafe on Frederick Road two years ago.
McDowell asked Barlow if he knew anyone who would be interested in part-time work.
“He said, “I?ll do it,? ” McDowell recalled. “Just give me a scaffold. I don?t need any labor, I can do it myself.?”
McDowell joked he will force Barlow to retire by age 100, but Barlow insists he?s not ready for lazy days ? in fact, he left the party Wednesday to climb onto a Lee?s Avenue roof and repair a chimney.
Sprightly and assertive, Barlow is still active with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a volunteer at the St. Agnes Hospital emergency room, a member of the Knights of Columbus and a reader at his parish, St. William of York in Catonsville, he said.
“I?m not one to sit around,” he said.
The birthday party drew such notables as Smith, Annapolis delegates, including Jimmy Malone, D-District 12A, and Steve DeBoy, District 12A, as well as County Council Member Sam Moxley, D-District 1, who said he?s known Barlow since he was a young boy.
“He?s just a great guy,” Moxley said. “You don?t find craftsmen like that anymore.”
