BARR, Pearl (JENSEN)

BARR, JENSEN, SEVERSON, SLIFE, MAHORNEY, GRECO, NAYLON, GIBSON, BOWLING

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 12/21/2017 at 00:00:14

Obituary ~ Pearl (Jensen) Barr
February 09 1916 ~ April 04, 2005

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Thursday, April 07, 2005

MASON CITY — Pearl Barr, 89, of Mason City died Monday (April 4 2005) unexpectedly at her home.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at First Baptist Church, 125 East State Street with the Rev. Ron Stein officiating. A gathering of family and friends will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City.

Pearl was born on Feb. 9, 1916, the daughter of Peter and JoHanna (Severson) Jensen. She grew up on the family farm near Rock Falls. Pearl attended Rock Falls High School graduating in 1937. She entered the work force as a switchboard telephone operator with Northwestern Bell Telephone Company.

When working, she met her future husband, Raymond L. Barr (deceased, December 1999) of Mason City. They were married on May 10th, 1940. Later on, after her family was raised, she re-entered the work force and accepted a position as receptionist with the Mason City Globe Gazette newspaper in October 1962. She worked there until her retirement in 1981.

Pearl and Ray then enjoyed retirement together by fishing in Northern Minnesota and traveling to see their children and grandchildren. And then, of course, attending the Saturday night "ballroom" dances at the Surf in Clear Lake was always Ray's and Pearl's weekly delight.

Pearl loved her kitchen and cooking in it, it was her retreat. She was a great cook, especially with the pastries. All the grandchildren loved her cookies, pies and cakes. Gardening, reading and participating in family gatherings kept her active and busy. She was the matriarch of the family. She was a life-long member of the First Baptist Church in Mason City.

Pearl will perhaps be remembered as a sweet lady, loving wife, caring mother and a "ohma" to all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughters, Karen (Clarence) Slife of Mason City, Kandis (John) Mahorney of Seminole, Fla., and son Jeffrey (Patricia) Barr of Los Alamos, N.M.; grandchildren: Liesa (Lance) Greco of Cedar Rapids, Timothy (Lisa) Naylon of Omaha, Neb., Bret Slife at Iowa State University, Jill Gibson of Hampton, Va., Paul Mahorney of Seminole, Fla. and step-grandchild, Bryson Bowling of Los Alamos, N.M.; six great-grandchildren: Callista Greco, Gabriel Greco, Asa Greco, Colby Naylon, Reese Naylon and Grant Gibson. She is also survived by her brothers and sisters-in-law, and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her parents, 10 siblings (three brothers and seven sisters) and her husband Ray L. Barr.

Memorials may be directed to the First Baptist Church.

Major Erickson Funeral Home, (641) 423-0924.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2017