BARR, Jerome C. (1936-2008)

BAMRICK, BARR, MADDEN, NOON, TUSHA, MOON, SCOFIELD

Posted By: Marilyn O'Connor (email)
Date: 12/2/2008 at 14:51:45

Mason City Globe Gazette

JEROME C. BARR

Mason City- Jerome C. Barr, 72 of 1520 Ridgepoint Dr. N.W, Swisher, and formery of Mason City, died Saturday (April 12, 2008) at his home.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 17, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 302 Fifth St. S.E., Mason City with the Rev. John W. Hemann officiating. Burial will be in St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Dougherty.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today (Wednesday,April 16) at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third St. N.E., Mason City, where a Knights of Columbus Rosary will be said at 6:30 p.m. followed by a Scriptural wake service at 7 p.m.

Jerome C. Barr was born during a blizzard on his family's farm near Dougherty on Jan. 22, 1936, the son of Bernard H. and Ellen E. (Bamrick) Barr.

With the snow drifting to the second-story windows, the doctor was summoned and subsequently got stuck on his way to the home. Jerome's father, Ben, hitched his team of horses and made his way over 2 1/4 miles through the fields to pick up the doctor and his wife.

The doctor and his wife were snowed in with Jerome's family for three days. His mother Ella, then assisted caring for the doctor's wife who had frostbitten legs.

Jerome attended school at Dougherty, graduating from St. Patrick's High School, Dougherty. He attended Lora College, Dubuque.

Jerome served in the U.S. Army from 1956-59, stationed in Germany. Honorably discharged as a private first class, he returned to Mason City to begin work at Northwestern States Portland Cement Co.

On Aug. 12, 1961, he was married to Brenda A. Madden at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Rockwell.
In 1968, Jerome began a career in train dispatching. He worked as a dispatcher with the Chicago and North Western Transportation Co. and the Union Pacific Railroad, retiring in 2000 and moving to the Iowa City area.

He enjoyed golfing, hunting, Iowa Hawkeye football and wrestling, and especially playing cribbage and grilling out with his family.

Jerome was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, Knights of Columbus, Council No. 1004, Mason City and the American Train Dispatchers Association.

He is survived by his wife Brenda, Swisher; children Ellen (Tim) Tusha, Garner; Kate Barr, Dixon, Ill.; Matt (Amy) Barr, Ames; Margaret (Jeff) Noon, Des Moines; Lt. Col. Martin (Elizabeth) Barr, Hohenfels, Germany, eight granddaughters, Elizabeth, Madelyn and Grace Tusha; Emma and Evelyn Noon; Virginia, Sarah Gray and Mary Barr; sisters-in-law, Phyllis (Joseph Vincent) Barr, Hampton; Phyllis (Edward) Barr, Denison; and Marsha (Gaylon) Scofield, Story City; a brother-in-law, Tom (Tracy) Madden, Rockwell; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and seven brothers.