Beverly Joan Barr

Beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away in Medina, Ohio on Thursday, May 9, 2024 surrounded by her loved ones.

She was born on February 3, 1949, to Albert and Joan Huffman in Elyria, Ohio, the first of two children. She graduated from Elyria High School in 1967 where she met the love of her life, Thomas Barr, while in a student production of Brigadoon. She and Tom married in Elyria on November 25, 1967.

Beverly was a wife and mother first, to two boys and two girls as she always wanted, and kept a neat home. With other moms, she co-founded Sonshine Nursery School at Parma Heights Baptist Church. She had an outgoing, ebullient spirit, and excelled at a variety of people-centered jobs, like working the front desk at Laurel School and Shaker Lakes Nature Center, greeting visitors and managing rentals at the latter.

Bev was an excellent cook and baker and proud of the fact that she never made a boxed cake. She and Tom were avid supporters of the visual arts and music and especially enjoyed the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Museum of Art. They volunteered in the greenhouse at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron for many years. She and Tom nearly met a goal of visiting all the Carnegie Libraries (over 100) and historic courthouses in the state of Ohio. She loved her cat, Louis. Beverly enjoyed travel and made over a dozen trips to Arizona to visit family, where a highlight was completing a rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon.

Bev is remembered for her love of life, endearing sense of humor, engaging empathy, faith in Jesus, and curiosity for the challenges and joys of others. She is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Thomas Barr; along with her four children, Anne Volk (Jay), Michael Barr (Kristin), Timothy Barr and Jennifer Barr; and her two grandchildren, Camille Volk and Russell Volk.

A private service with family and close friends will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to their favorite classical music station, WCLV (https://www.ideastream.org/donate-now), or the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org) or by mail to Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011