Mr. Ted T. Barr

Ted T. Barr, 81, of Huntington, died after a six-year hard fought battle with multiple myeloma cancer on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 in St. Mary’s Medical Center surrounded by his family and friends. Visitation will be held Friday, December 4, 2009 11 a.m. to 1p.m. , 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Klingel Carpenter Mortuary. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, December 5, 2009 at the Cabell County Board of Education auditorium by Dr. Gary Patton. Entombment will follow in White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Barboursville, WV. Pallbearers will be Doug Ferguson and Josh Roberston both of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department; Chuck Kingery and Chief William “Skip� Holbrook both of the Huntington Police Department; Brent Williams, a great-nephew, and Brian Wellman both of the Cabell County EMS. The Cabell County Sheriff’s Department will present the 21-gun salute and Taps. The Huntington Police Department and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department will stand guard at the visitation. The Honorable Judge Dan O’Hanlon will present the eulogy. Ted was born Teddy Thompson Barr on August 20, 1928 in Dickson, Wayne County, WV, the 13th, of 14 children. He was the 7th son of John A. Barr and Mary Spencer Barr. Ted’s father was an Italian immigrant to America from Martinetti, Italy in 1897 at the age of 15. Working in a stone quarry, he came to Wayne County where he would eventually work for and board with his future father-in-law and mother-in-law, James Middleton Spencer and Elizabeth Webb Spencer. John Barr moved his family to Dickson, Wayne County, WV where Ted was born. Shortly afterwards the Barrs moved to Huntington where Ted enrolled in public school. He attended Cook School in Gimlet Hollow and West Junior High School in west Huntington. He received his GED in 1960 and his BA from Marshall University, Cum Laude on May 7, 1994 at the age of 65. Ted is survived by his daughters, Theresa Barr Grant and Carolyn Barr, his son-in-law Robert A. Grant, Jr.: four grandchildren, Kathleen Marie Grant of Louisville, KY, Ted R. Grant of Huntington, Kara Clark of Nashville, TN and Kendra Beckett of Huntington; three great-grandchildren, Jared Beckett, Madeline and Rayce Clark of Nashville, TN. Ted was preceded in death by six brothers, Oval George, Paris Giuseppi Joe, Giovanni Dante, Raymond Edward, George Spencer and one infant brother; five sisters, Goldie (Elijah) Hall, Garnet (Alonzo) Newman, Jessie (Bernard) O’Daniel, Olympia and Wanda Priscilla. Ted is survived by two sisters, Velma (Leonard) McCoy of Lavalette, WV and Peggy Ann Hayton of Milton, WV; many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews and several special friends. In addition to being a graduate of Marshall University, Ted is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and attended police-related schools at the University of Cincinnati, West Virginia University and the University of Michigan. Ted became a civil servant when he was hired by the Huntington Police Department on September 1, 1949 and rose to the rank of captain before retiring on February 5, 1972. Ted loved politics and the Republican Party which he chaired for two terms. In 1972 he filed as a candidate for Sheriff of Cabell County and served two consecutive terms. In January 1981 he was sworn in for two terms as Cabell County Commissioner. He was elected seven times as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000. From 1980-1985 he was twice nominated for Mayor of Huntington. From 1992-2000 Ted was the Republican nominee for Sheriff of Cabell County and Cabell County Commissioner. In 2000 he was elected to the Cabell County Board of Education and re-elected in 2004 and 2008 serving as its president. He was owner of Barr and Associates and founder of Barr Field in west Huntington. Additionally, he started the Emergency Medical Services program in 1974 while serving as sheriff. In December 2008 the new EMS Station in west Huntington was named the Ted T. Barr Emergency Medical Services Station. At the urging of Judge Dan O’Hanlon, Ted was instrumental in starting the Cabell County Fair while serving as Cabell County Commissioner. He was recently a member of Sunshine Baptist Church and previously a member of the Sixth Avenue Church of Christ. He was a member of Elks Lodge BPOE 313. In 1997 he organized the Old Centurions, an organization for retired police officers having monthly meetings and newsletters. Ted loved his God, his country and his family. He often referred to the love of his job as “having a front row seat to the greatest show on earth�. Much love and thanks from Ted and his family to Dr. Gerrit Kimmey and his staff as well as St. Mary’s 6th. floor oncology staff especially Tiffany, Mary and Tanya and Dr. Craig Hofmeister of Ohio State University James Cancer Center.