Ronald Edward Barr

Barr, Ronald Edward Ronald Edward Barr, 80, originally of St. Louis, son of Walter and Dorothy Barr, husband of Jean Marie Barr (nee Bergren), passed away peacefully October 7th 2016, after a decade of treatment for gradually progressive Parkinson's disease. He is survived by his wife Jean and his four children, Roland, Andrea, Steve, and Paul as well as eight grandchildren. Ron is also survived by his four younger siblings, Rich, Gene, Ed and Patty, all of the greater Saint Louis area. He grew up on Marquette Street and attended Epiphany Catholic Church. Ron was a graduate of St. Louis University and met Jean while she was in nursing school at SLU and they were married at the Old Cathedral in Saint Louis in September, 1964. They moved to Columbia, MO, to raise a family. He transitioned from radiation research to university administration at the University of Missouri and then worked in administration at Ohio University, in Athens, Ohio, and finally at Arizona State University from 1986 until he retired. Dr. Ronald Barr was involved in university research and kept up with developments in the sciences across many disciplines. He was an enthusiastic proponent of the benefits of education. He never worked extra jobs but managed to put his four children through the colleges of their choice and provided for all his family's needs and more. He enjoyed chopping wood and working around the house in any capacity. Family vacations were in a VW van and often involved camping. He enjoyed commuting daily by bicycle and kept his passion for forestry alive by growing walnut trees in central Missouri. He loved spending time with his family and was always ready to lend a helping hand. He was a figure of stability, responsibility and consistency which was a blessing to his family, and he was quick to laugh at a good joke. He was loved by all. Services: A memorial Mass will be held at the Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church 6596 Smiley Ave., St. Louis on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m., with a private function to be held for family afterward.