David Barr

David (Dave) Barr, age 87 passed away peacefully in Christ his Savior in Kalamazoo, MI on Monday October 25, 2021. Born in Plymouth, IN he was the son of James Hobart and Imogene Barr and was raised in Silver Spring, MD. In his youth he played the clarinet & tenor saxophone in several bands, even the Washington Redskins Band. Dave served in the Navy and went to Europe twice. While in Quebec he met his future wife, Agathe. They were married in 1959 and spent 62 happy years together. He enjoyed extensive travel with his family in the Eastern U.S. and Canada. Dave worked for Magnavox and ITT in Ft. Wayne as a technical writer. He graduated from Indiana University at age 52. He enjoyed working at the Ft. Wayne Coliseum, watching sporting events, taking pictures, swimming, playing softball, shooting baskets, radios, and history. Dave donated 12 gallons of blood and volunteered at Matthew 25 medical clinic with his wife. He was active in the choir and other ministries at St. Ambrose Catholic Church and St. Vincent Catholic Church before this. Dave cherished his wife, children and grandchildren. “We could always count on him if we needed someone to listen. He has shown us kindness, love & honesty.” Dave is survived by Agathe, three children and their spouses, Michelle (Bob) Crowe, Maureen (Dale) Drees, and Jill (Kenny Sipe) Barr-Sipe; grandchildren, Jennifer (Andre) Drees, Jackson Sipe. His son, Dennis passed as a newborn. His sister, Virginia and parents preceded him. In lieu of flowers his preferred memorial is the Alzheimer’s Association. Friends will be received 12 pm to 1:30 pm Thursday October 28, 2021 at Parchment Redmond Funeral Home where services will follow at 1:30 pm. Interment will be in St. Vincent DePaul Cemetery, Ft. Wayne, IN at 12 pm Friday October 29, 2021. www.redmondfuneralhomes.net Dad’s Story, edited 2/2/15 Dad was born in Plymouth, IN, at Marshall County Hospital & lived at Pretty Lake…near the current Plymouth Country Club in Plymouth. Dave is the son of James Hobart Barr & Imogene Barr. He moved near Hanna (on U.S. 30 where his dad taught school) & then to his grandfather’s farm in Whitley County until age 4… in 1939. Later it became Uncle Joe’s farm. His dad moved to D.C. one year ahead of the family to find work. Dad was in first grade when WWII started (12/7/41). He was raised in Silver Spring, MD by Washington, D.C. & enjoyed living by the nation’s capital with its progressive lifestyle. They had candy bars for a nickel & movies for 15 cents. He spent his summers riding his sister’s bike, delivering newspapers, swimming, playing cops & robbers, & riding buses & street cars. He enjoyed getting autographs… even Joe DiMaggio’s. He saw several professional baseball games at a kid. His boyhood dream was to become a sportswriter or broadcaster. His childhood dogs were Cal, Perky, & Taffy. He attended Montgomery Blair High School. He played the clarinet & tenor sax in the Washington Redskins band for 2 years in high school & in college plus played in his own high school band plus the Elks club band. In high school he worked at a hardware store. His dad let him drive the family’s first new car to school at age 16, a 49 Mercury. After high school he attended George Washington U. studying pharmacy & worked in a pharmacy from 1952-1953. While there he marched at Eisenhower’s inaugural parade in Air Force ROTC. Soon after his dad died, he was drafted & chose the Navy for FOUR GLORIOUS YEARS. He went to school in the Navy for 1 year at Bainbridge Naval Training Station in Maryland & was in the student band. He was a fire control technician, first class. He worked on fire control radar. He was stationed out of New Port, Rhode Island & spent 6 months at Boston Navy Yard plus 6 weeks at Staten Island, enjoying NY City in the evenings. There he saw the World Series at Yankee Stadium. He also saw Eileen Farrell, an American soprano for 60 years, at Carnegie Hall. Dad was the pitcher of his ship’s softball team. During this time (1957) he met Mom at the Plains of Abraham in Quebec in a park. Thank goodness he has always been one to start a conversation with a stranger. He went to Europe twice on the U.S.S. Glennon #DD840. He visited Rome, Monaco, Asia, Turkey, Greece, France, Italy, Lebanon, & Gibraltar. In the Holy Land / Israel he visited Nazareth on a bus tour plus Capernaum where Jesus performed several miracles. After his tour with the Navy, he attended University of Maryland for a semester. He married Mom on July 7, 1959 at Saint Coeur de Marie Catholic Church in Quebec City, Quebec, & they went to NY City & Atlantic City, NJ for a few days for their honeymoon. They moved to the Ft. Wayne area. Dad worked as a troubleshooter for ITT (used to be International Telephone & Telegraph) for 1 year, & then at Magnavox as a test equipment technician (mostly TVs) from 1960-64. When his job transferred to Tennessee, he stayed in Ft. Wayne & worked for ITT for Dr. Farnsworth (the inventor of the TV) for 2 years. He was rehired at Magnavox from 1966-1980 as a technical writer (writing books for TVs, radios for war, & organs) with neighbor, Bob Herndon. In 1980 Magnavox moved to Tennessee so Dad changed to another part of Magnavox (government division) working on radar & sonar for ships & aircraft from 1980-1993. One year Dad was the pitcher of the Magnavox adult softball league. He retired when everyone there for 30 years was asked to retire. Dad’s retirement dinner was celebrated at Red Lobster. During the Magnavox years Dad also worked a second job some of the time. He first worked at Sears in the paint / electronics department for a year & then became an usher at the Ft. Wayne Coliseum in the early 1970s-1978. He thoroughly enjoyed watching the basketball events: Purdue, IU Bloomington, & high school. He worked countless Komets hockey games. Jill called him Daddy usher. Mom said the highlight for her was when he got to see ELVIS! He loved seeing Johnny Cash twice. He also enjoyed Lawrence Welk, John Denver, & the Carpenters. He shook President Ford’s hand at the Coliseum. We all thought Dad looked like him. Dad helped Michelle & Maureen to get jobs at the Coliseum too. Also, during the Magnavox years Dad donated about 12 gallons of blood. Mom was very proud of him. Dad loves his family very much & made sure to take his kids to Quebec every year for two weeks so we would know our Canadian relatives. He had a yearly presentation of new family pictures to show at the Bouchard farm on his slide projector. We used a tent for several trips to Canada & once to Disney. He was very fond of his sister, Virginia, & took us to Maryland often. He took us to visit his mom, aunts, & uncles on the Whitley County farm most weekends. We also went to Lake James & Uncle Ford’s cottage at Lake Michigan. Mom & Dad sent us to St. Charles Catholic School for grade school & Bishop Dwenger for high school. Dad was an usher at St. Charles. He played basketball there too. Some fun memories from our childhood include the following: Dad whistling to Jubilee Marches on the record player Being members of Park Forest pool & Dad loving the pool Dad’s interest in taking pictures Enjoying the produce from our large garden Watching Rockford Files & The Waltons together Dad taking us to ice skate at the Coliseum & Lakeside Park Maureen seeing the Harlem Globe Trotters with Dad During the Magnavox years Dad also attended IIT (IN Institute of Technology) & graduated from Indiana University in 1986 with a bachelor degree in general studies. He finished college on the GI bill. Mom & Dad moved from Glenview Dr. to Medicine Bow Run in the mid-1980s. They became members of St. Vincent Catholic Church. Dad was an usher & sang in the choir there. Dad & Mom volunteered at Matthew 25 medical clinic. After Dad’s Magnavox retirement he went to ITT from ~1994-1999 working on technical publications for battlefield computers, etc. He retired again & worked part time at Applebee’s doing surveys & at a computer store (Cyber Expo) at the Glenbrook mall. He is very proud of his daughters’ accomplishments & cherishes his grandkids. He was a great fan of Michelle’s track meets in high school & college. He was able to attend her last track meet in college. He has enjoyed playing the clarinet with Jennifer. Mom & Dad helped her learn to ride her bike. He went swimming including going down huge slides at the water park with Jen & Jackson. Dad & Mom retired to Michigan near Jill despite Dad’s dislike of cold weather. He spends much time with Jackson. He took him to classes at Lowes Home Improvement store. Dad & Mom take him to Taekwondo. Dad sings in the St. Ambrose choir. He even agreed to sing tenor when he prefers bass since the choir director asked him to do so. He continues to swim 20 laps & shoot baskets. Mr. Cutey likes curling up on his lap for naps. He enjoys traveling with Mom in the Eastern U.S. and Canada to visit family & friends. They drove to Vancouver in their conversion van to see the 1986 World’s Fair. They went on an Alaskan cruise. He really enjoyed being on a ship again. They flew to Vegas to see childhood friend, Denny Miller (played in Gilligan’s Island & Brady Bunch…the Gorton’s fisherman). They went to Hawaii. Dad, Mom & Maureen went to Charleston to see Ft. Sumter & the Charleston Naval Museum. He enjoyed going in the USS Yorktown. We will go to Wrightsville Beach in 2015. Dad loves “the old days” & talks often about the Navy, nickel candy bars, movies for 15 cents, and professional baseball games from the 1950s. He has enjoyed sports (anything with a ball or swimming), music, old radios, boating, & ships. Dad loves professional baseball (Washington Nationals…formerly the Expos), college basketball & football (especially Purdue) & Washington Redskins football. Some fun adult memories with Dad include: Day trips to South Haven on Lake Michigan with our family Riding in Kenny’s & Jill’s boat with our family Going in Mom’s & Dad’s conversion van with sisters & husbands to see the Detroit Lions at the Silver Dome Dad’s 80th birthday party with family & friends at Jill’s & Kenny’s house Dad, Jen, & Maureen watching Dr. Zhivago Trip to Bouchard farm with Mom, Dad, Dale, Maureen, & Jen when she was about 2