John Allen Barr

John Allen Barr, of Colchester, passed away peacefully at home on July 27, 2025.   He was 96 years old.  John was born on September 21, 1928, in Bunker, Missouri.  He was the last surviving of 14 children of the late, William Ellis and Laura (Biggs) Barr.  He grew up in the Missouri Ozarks and following high school, he enlisted in the US Navy, serving honorably during WWII.  John married Evelyn Woike on June 2, 1951 and they settled in Colchester in 1957.  She predeceased him December 2, 2018 after 67 years of marriage. In his younger years, John worked in farming, which carried on throughout his lifetime as he loved gardening and generously gifting produce and his own pickles to family and friends.  John retired in 1987 after a long and successful career as an engineer for Pratt and Whitney Aero Space Manufacturing at their Willgoos Lab.  As a man of strong faith, he was a member and Deacon emeritus in the Colchester Federated Church.  John was an avid outdoorsman.  He loved to fish and hunt.  In his free time, John was a talented woodworking craftsman, creating children’s toys and beautiful furniture.  He could also be found cheering on the UCONN  basketball teams and in his later years the Boston Red Sox.  He will be remembered fondly as a hardworking family man who loved God and country. He is survived by his daughter and son-in law,  Debra and Reginald Martin; a daughter-in-law, Trudy Barr and her husband Maurice Gariepy; grandchildren and their spouses, Bridgette (Shawn) Duvall, Carolyn (Michael) Hayward and Lindsay Barr; a great grandson, Christopher Duvall; and many extended family members and friends.  In addition to his parents and siblings, he was predeceased by a son, John Allen Barr, Jr.  Funeral services will be held from the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Hartford Rd, Colchester, beginning with calling hours on Wednesday, July 30th from 4 – 6 PM.   A graveside funeral service will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, July 31st in the Linwood cemetery, Rte. 16 Colchester. For online condolences or to share a story of John for his family, please visit www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com

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