Phyllis Lutz Barr

Phyllis Lutz Barr, 96, of Pennsylvania Furnace, died Wednesday October 15, 2025 at Celebration Villa of Nittany Valley, State College, Pennsylvania.
Born in Matternville, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Charles Morris and Mary Alice Mattern Lutz. On September 27, 1948 she married John Robert Barr Jr., who preceded her in death on February 28, 2005.
She is survived by four children, Carolyn Barr Foust and her husband Stephen of Centre Hall, Kevin Barr and his wife Kathy of Port Matilda, Keith Barr and his wife Cheryl of Port Matilda, Kent Barr of Lemont, and brother Clair Lutz of Mechanicsburg. Phyllis was blessed with four grandchildren, Justin Barr and his wife Jessi, Cody Barr and his wife Olivia, Michelle Foust Collison and her husband Craig and Heather Foust Zimmerman and her husband Donald and 10 great grandchildren: Taelon and Kadence Barr, Brewer and Milo Barr, Taylor, Chase, Caroline, and Lydia Collison, and Carl and Klay Zimmerman.
In addition to her loving husband and parents, she was preceded in death by three siblings, sisters Carolyn Zoe Lutz, Charlotte Smith, and brother Charles Lutz.
Phyllis graduated from State College High School in 1946. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Penn State in 1963 and began working as the Food service director for State College and later Bellefonte School Districts. She spent the next 20+ years serving as a Nutrition Advisor for the Pennsylvania Department of Education. During her tenure there she authored the 243-page School Lunch Recipe Book for which she received a National Award of Distinction.
Phyllis enjoyed her multiple flower gardens, sharing bulbs and blooms with friends and bouquets for church worship services. The fruit trees and blueberry bushes she nurtured provided the base ingredients for her famous pies.
Phyllis was an avid Pittsburgh Pirates fan. With her husband, they spent years of Thursday nights bowling with their team "The Rinky Dinks". They enjoyed attending Penn State Football and Lady Lions Basketball games. She was a lifetime member of the Penn State Alumni Association.
She enjoyed all kinds of needlework. She made elaborate Christmas stockings and quilts for each family member and as a member of Happy Valley Quilts of Valor she pieced numerous quilt tops for local veterans. Phyllis was an active member of Fairbrook United Methodist Church, providing flowers and food for all to enjoy. She put her cooking expertise to work, making gallons of soup for the Ag Progress Days food stand and designing and maintaining the church's commercial kitchen.
To Phyllis, family was most precious. She celebrated special family events, attended thousands of ball games and horse shows, and faithfully sent birthday cards to every family member. Christmas was her favorite time of year. The "Barr Family Christmas" was an event: caroling, eating an enormous dinner and then a gift exchange that went well into the evening. She extended her love for Jesus and family by personally packing thousands of shoe boxes for children through her involvement in Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan's Purse). For many years she served the central region OCC initiative as Church Relations Coordinator.
Visitation will be from 10-11 am on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at Fairbrook United Methodist Church, 4201 W. Whitehall Rd., Pennsylvania Furnace. Funeral service will follow at 11am at the church, with Pastor Gene McCallips officiating. Burial will be in Grays Cemetery, Port Matilda.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to: Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan's Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607. www.samaritanspurse.org.