Barrett was known for founding and building two large, successful companies in completely different fields. Lewis Sheats, executive director of the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship at St. Louis University, said that was unusual.

“He’s the perfect example of an entrepreneur for students to emulate,” Sheats said. “We all have ideas, the difference is in executing them. Ray always executed.”

Landshire sold hot sandwiches in drug stores, schools, bowling alleys and other locations. The company was founded in 1960 and grew into a multimillion-dollar business with franchises in 37 U.S. cities, the Virgin Islands and Venezuela. Barrett sold Landshire to Southland Corp., the parent company of 7-Eleven, in 1977.

Biomedical Systems, which Barrett founded in 1975 and sold to Philadelphia-based ERT in 2017, analyzed heartbeats measured by wearable monitoring devices, analyzed and stored ECG data, and worked on clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies, among other things. When it was sold, Biomedical employed 300 people in the U.S. and 100 abroad.

In recent years, Barrett has turned to a third field, adding three colored lines to golf balls to improve visibility and make putting easier.

After nearly a decade of trying to interest companies in his triple-track idea, he signed a licensing deal with golf equipment company Callaway to distribute the ball in 2017.

Barrett, who holds a BBA in business administration and management from St. Louis University, received the university’s Alumni Merit Award in 1989 and was inducted into its Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2007.

Barrett grew up in north St. Louis and attended the old DeAndreis High School. Before coming to SLU, he served in the Army in Korea.

In the 1960s, he served on the Florissant City Council for five years.

He moved to Des Peres in 1969, where he ran for mayor in 1972. Election results showed Barrett tied with his opponent, who was later selected for the post by city councilors. The city honored Barrett in 2020 for his role in advocating for the creation of Des Peres Park with a plaque in the park.

Over the years, Barrett has served on the boards of civic and charitable organizations, including The BackStoppers Inc., an organization that assists the families of first responders killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.

In the 1990s, he started a program called HAND-UP, which provided families with financial assistance and counseling.

The viewing will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church, 1510 Bopp Road, Des Peres, followed by a funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in Bellerive Gardens Cemetery in Creve Coeur.

Survivors include his wife, Diane Barrett of Des Peres, three sons, Tim Barrett of Clayton, Dan Barrett of Ladue and Pat Barrett of Des Peres, one daughter, Kathleen Ruth of Southlake, Texas, two stepsons, Brick Storts IV of St. Louis and Don Breckenridge Jr. of Town and Country, two sisters, Janet Klingler of Des Peres and Mary Ann Shanahan of Ladue, 24 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.