Obituary of John Barr

Following a period of declining health and strength in Shreveport, John Purcell Barr went peacefully to be with the Lord on March 16, 2007 at the age of 91. The family will be receiving friends at Boone Funeral Home in Bossier City, Saturday, March 24 from 5-7 p.m. Graveside services will be held at Plain Dealing Cemetery, Sunday, March 25, at 2:30 p.m. John Purcell Barr was born in Coushatta, Louisiana on August 23, 1915. At the age of eight, in Dubach, Louisiana, John had a brush with death that made an everlasting mark on his life. Buried in an earthen cave and saved by a small number of men working on a nearby railroad, John awoke to realize that God had saved him for a reason. At the age of twelve, he made the decision upon which all other decisions came to hinge. He acknowledged his need for Jesus Christ and confessed the Lord as his Savior. John grew up in Plain Dealing, Louisiana and graduated from Plain Dealing High School in 1932. On October 14, 1939 he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothea Jane Miller. Following his marriage to Dorothea, he worked and served the community in Plain Dealing. During World War II, he moved to Bossier City and served as a Lieutenant in the Louisiana Ordinance Plant Fire Department. After the war, John was hired by Southwestern Gas and Electric Company (now AEP/SWEPCO), where he worked as a Lineman and General Foreman. In 1956, on Father's Day, the electric company honored John by naming him 'Father of the Year'. In 1978, after almost 30 years with SWEPCO, John retired. John and Dorothea spent their retirement years enjoying their home and family, garden, workshop, church, and travel trailer. Their unforgettable travels encompassed all 48 states, Canada, and Mexico. Throughout the decades, John and Dorothea hosted many family holiday gatherings and neighborhood outdoor 'fish fries'. They were always known for their gracious hospitality and service to others. John and Dorothea were founding members of John Knox Presbyterian Church (now Trinity Presbyterian) in Bossier City and later became members of Life Tabernacle in Shreveport. In 1995, John and Dorothea moved to Houma, Louisiana, where they were members of the First Evangelical Presbyterian Church. In 2001, they moved to Summerfield Estates Retirement Center in Shreveport, making it their final home and becoming faithful members of the Sunday school class there. John Purcell Barr was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. In the days prior to his passing, he had expressed to his family and friends a desire to depart and be with his beloved wife. During 62 years of marriage, they experienced the changing scenes of life in a faithful and fruitful companionship with which the Lord had blessed them. Today we rejoice in the knowledge that John has passed the barrier of time, as we know it, and is forever at home with the Savior he faithfully served. Surviving John are his four children: Patricia Jane Barr Haden, of Dallas, Texas, Betty Jo Barr Westmoreland, of Shreveport, Louisiana, John P. Barr, Jr. of Natchitoches, Louisiana, and Dr. James Edward Barr of Thibodaux, Louisiana. John is remembered and loved by nine grandchildren: Driskill B. Horton, III, John Felton Hall, Penelope Hall Przekop, Mark David Horton, James Edward Barr, Jr., Julie Marie Barr, Emi Lorraine Barr Nelson, John Silas Barr, and Matthew Alexander Barr and six great grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his father and mother, Silas Cooper Barr and Nettie May Purcell; and three brothers, Ralph Emerson Barr, Alford Tennyson Barr, and James Silas Barr. "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them" (Revelation 14:13). The family takes this occasion to thank their many friends for the kindness that has been shown during this time. True and faithful Christian friends and family are indeed among the most meaningful gifts of life. The family would also like to thank the staff and residents at Summerfield Estates for their wonderful care and genuine concern. A very special thanks is extended to Libby Owen, for her personal and loving 'touch' to John; and also to Frances Schroll, John's Sunday school teacher, for being a devoted and caring friend to 'Mr. John'. The family's wish is that any donations be made, in memory of John Purcell Barr, to: In Jesus' Name Ministries, P. O. Box 350, Strasburg, VA 22657. (www.inJesusname.org) Thank you. Pallbearers will be James E. Barr, Jr., Julie Marie Barr, James Silas Barr, Matthew Alexander Barr, Ken Barr, and Mark David Horton.