Remembering Barry Gibrall, former Henrico teacher and 'The Voice' of Benedictine
Barry Gibrall, the teacher, athletic director and championship football player whose unmistakable voice echoed across Benedictine athletic fields and courts for years, passed away peacefully on March 23, 2026. He was 79 years old.
Benedictine Schools of Richmond President Jesse Grapes broke the news to the school community in a statement, calling Gibrall "a wise, gentle, and loving man of great warmth and wisdom."
"I am grieved to share the news of longtime teacher W. Barry Gibrall's passing," Grapes wrote. "Barry's legacy will be his unabashed love for Benedictine and his unwavering dedication to the places where the Benedictine spirit lives — on our fields and courts, in our classrooms, in the chapel, and in the bonds of brotherhood between Cadets."
As a member of the Class of 1964, Gibrall was an integral player on the 1962 State Championship football team. That team was the only football team in Benedictine history to complete an undefeated season. A fact Gibrall eagerly shared with current Cadets.
After his playing days, Gibrall went on to the University of Richmond, where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Humanities degree, fueling a lifelong passion for literature and poetry that he would eventually bring to Godwin High School in the mid-to-late 1990s and then back to the halls of his alma mater starting in 2000.
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