Barr, George S.

George S. Barr, 90, died Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012, at Keystone Nursing Care Center in Keystone. Funeral Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Plaine, with President Rick L. Sparks officiating. Interment will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Blairstown, with graveside military rites conducted by M.J. Kirby American Legion Post 170 of Blairstown. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2, at Phillips Funeral Home in Blairstown.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.

George was born Dec. 3, 1922, in San Antonio, Texas to George S. and Violet Elliott Barr. At a very early age his parents died and he was raised by his grandparents in southern California. In 1939, George was united in marriage to Erma Coffelt at Lopez Island, Wash. George and Erma had two children, Roger and George, and were later divorced in 1944.

George served his country in the United States Navy for three years on board the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga in the South Pacific and was honorably discharged in 1946. Between 1946 and 1951, he lived insouthern California, primarily in the Whittier area. He was united in marriage to Leota Pearson in 1949. Leota preceded George in death in January 1999.

Between 1949 and 1951, George worked at various jobs, including cabdriver, fry cook, waiter, maitre'd, insurance sales, and as a bartender. In 1951, he moved to Blairstown and worked for five years as a tank wagon driver selling and delivering gas and fuel oil. In 1956, he moved back to California and worked nine years as an insurance claims adjuster, primarily in claims involving bodily injury. The last four years as a claims adjuster he worked only with claims that were in litigation. During those nine years he received his GED from Whittier High School and then took the college equivalency test given by the California State Bar Association. George was then allowed to enroll in Southwestern Law School. Upon graduation he took and passed the California State Bar Exam. In 1968, he went to work for the Los Angeles County Public Defenders Office as a deputy public defender, and continued working there for 17 years, retiring in 1984.

Following his retirement, George was asked to return to work as a municipal court judge in the Los Angeles area for several years.

In 1989, George moved to Blairstown, where he established a self-storage business. In 2002, George was united in marriage to Mary Root in Blairstown.

George was a member of M.J. Kirby American Legion Post 170 in Blairstown, where he held several offices, Blairstown Public Library board, Blairstown Community Foundation and Blairstown Community Development Corporation. He also founded the Blairstown Investment Club in 1995 and has been the treasurer of it since its inception.

George is survived by his wife, Mary of Keystone; sons, George S. Barr of Lopez Island, Wash., and Roger C. (Kerry) Barr of Hermiston, Ore.; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and several great neighbors.

In addition to his parents; first wife, Erma; and second wife, Leota, George was preceded in death by three sisters.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.

Published Dec. 29, 2012 in The Gazette