Mrs. ROBERT (Barbara Jean Koppen) KROLL PARR

MCNAMER, KOPPEN, PARR, KROLL-HAMMEL, JANSEN

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 4/14/2003 at 08:34:47

Barbara Jean Parr

Telegraph Herald - Sunday, March 30, 2003

Barbara Jean "BJ" (Koppen) Parr, 54, of Rockford, Ill., formerly of Dubuque, died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded with the love of her family, at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, March 27, 2003, at home, after fighting a long and hard battle with cancer.

Services will be at 4 p.m. today at Fitzgerald & Associates Funeral Home, Rockford, where friends may call after 2 p.m. today. Services also will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home, 2659 Kennedy Road, Dubuque, where friends may call after 3:30 p.m. Monday. Burial will be in the East Dubuque (Ill.) Cemetery.

She was born on May 2, 1948, in Dubuque, daughter of Francis R. and Norma Jean (McNamer) Koppen. She married Robert "Bob" Parr, of Rockford, on Nov. 21, 1987.

She graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in 1966, and the former Dubuque Beauty Academy in 1967. She moved to Beloit, Wis., in 1972, and then moved to Rockford.

She had such a zest for life, exploring every opportunity from a cosmetologist to semi driving. Her last place of employment was at The Image Supper Club in Rockford.

She touched many lives by her overall love of life and through her computer. She loved holidays, especially Christmas, and never missed being home in Dubuque.

She enjoyed flowers, animals, crafts and especially swimming with her grandbabies.

Barbara believed God has prepared a better place for all of us when He comes again to take us home.

Surviving are her husband, Robert Parr, of Rockford; a daughter, Paula Jean Kroll-Hammel, of Rockford; her former husband, Donald Kroll, of East Dubuque; two grandbabies, Derrick (15) and Brittani (14) Jansen, of Dubuque; her parents, Francis and Norma Jean (McNamer) Koppen, of Dubuque; and two brothers, Ron Koppen, of Dubuque, and Jerome (Julie) Koppen, of East Dubuque.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Steven; her six-week-old grandbaby, Ashley Lynn Kroll; and her beloved pet cocker spaniel, Halsey.

A Barbara Parr Memorial Fund has been established.