James W. Barr, 78 years, passed away Thursday morning, April 30, 2015 surrounded by his family, at his home in Ft. Madison, Iowa. Jim was born the day after Christmas, 1936 to Jack Alwin and Lila Leola (Horan) Barr in Grand Island, Nebraska. After moving to Ft. Madison he met the love of his life, Charlotte Zuber, their senior year at Ft. Madison Senior High. They graduated in the spring of 1954, and were married on September 25, 1955. In 1955, they both attended Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois, and both graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science, in Chicago, Illinois in 1956. They served their internship from 1956-1958, at Wilton Mortuary, Peoria, Illinois. They returned to Ft. Madison and established their family funeral business, Barr Memorial Chapel. He operated it with his wife, Charlotte, his parents, Jack and Lila, brother, Walt, children, Tom and Margo.

As a youth Jim loved racing his Soap Box Derby. He won the 1952 Soap Box Derby City Championship. He shared his interest of the soap box derby with his son, Tom. He enjoyed boxing and won the 1954 & 55 Quincy Regional Golden Glove Welterweight Championship. Jim, like his youngest brother, Mike, loved horses. He bred his Registered Quarter Horse mares to his stallion, Boston Mac; and to others like, Sonny Dee Bar, Poco Blue Rip, and Impressive. Jim and Charlotte traveled with their daughters: Carolyn, Kathy, and Margo, across the United States competing in American Quarter Horse and Junior Quarter Horse shows and ending their year at the All American Quarter Horse Congress.

Jim and his wife were licensed funeral directors for over 50 years in Iowa and Illinois. He was a licensed pilot and established an air/land ambulance service in southeast Iowa. He was a 50 year member of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association serving as officer/director 1985-1990, President 1989-1990 and was Recovery Coordinator for United Airlines flight 232 crash at Sioux City, Iowa. In 1991, he was selected for the DMORT Team to go to Desert Storm and embalm. Jim was also involved with the National Disaster Medical System – DMORT Team for Hardin, Missouri during the Mid-west Flood of 1993. He served on the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science 1992-2001, and as Board Chairman 1995-2001. He was President of the Fort Madison Jaycees; State Vice-President of Iowa Jaycees; National Director United States Jaycees; Chairman Fort Madison Chapter American Red Cross and Community Chest (United Way); member, treasurer and chairman of the administrative board of the First United Methodist Church; 1992 - 2002 member of the Rules Review Committee of Iowa Board of Mortuary Science. He was a charter board member of the North Lee County, Iowa Foster Care Review Board. He was a 50 year member of the Fort Madison Rotary Club, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Fort Madison Masonic Lodge #13, A.F. & A.M., and Kaaba Shrine of Davenport, Iowa, and also a member of the Chetek Masonic Lodge #0277, A.F. & A.M.
Jim and Charlotte made their home at Fish Lake in Chetek, WI for the last 20 years. From 2007 – 2010 he was the Deputy Coroner for Rusk County, Wisconsin. In 2011, he was elected Town Clerk, of Rusk County, Wisconsin. He was appointed to the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board in 2012 – retiring on April 25, 2015. He loved fishing and tinkering around with his friends Bob and Woodchuck. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with family, trolling for Northern Pike, and bonfires with his grandchildren.

Jim is survived by his wife Charlotte, of 59 years; son, Tom (Deanna) Barr; daughters: Carolyn Krone, Kathy (Andy) Meardon, Margo (Pete) Eicher; 13 grandchildren: Jason Van Houten, Cara (Leo) Gilliland, Jack (Heather) Van Houten, Cassie Holtkamp, Elyse Meardon, Andrea (Cory Findlay) Meardon, Daphne (Wes) Bowen, Levi Meardon, Amanda Eicher, Clayton Eicher, Nick Krone, Elizabeth Barr and Joshua Barr; 7 great-grandchildren, Jeret, Asher, Lydia, Judah, Lila Caroline, Elena, Ephraim; several nieces, nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Lance Cpl. Michael McKee Barr and Walter Clements Barr; granddaughter, Emily Van Houten and son-in-law, Joseph Van Houten.

Visitation will be from 2:00 – 4:00 pm on Sunday, May 3, 2015 at the Barr Memorial Chapel and Cremation Services, Fort Madison, Iowa, with a Masonic Service at 4:00 pm. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 4, 2015 at Barr Memorial Chapel and Cremation Services, with Pastors Bill Willis, Jan Garza, and Lanette S. Van officiating. Private burial will be in Oakland Cemetery in Ft. Madison, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made directed to the Ft. Madison Community Hospital Foundation for the needs of the Annex.