More detail on this person: James Nelson Barr, 73, passed away in his Van Horne home on Friday, September 4th after a courageous battle with cancer. Internment and a short ceremony will take place for family and friends on Thursday, September 10 at Salem Cemetery east of Van Horne, at 11 am. Please bring lawn chairs if planning to attend. The ceremony will be officiated by Pastor Leonard Ranson of Salem United Methodist Church, Van Horne. Military rites will be conducted by the Van Horne American Legion Post 148; time will be allotted for sharing stories and/or memories. James was born on July 25, 1947 in Vinton, Iowa to parents, Warren and Bernadine (Nelson) Barr. He graduated from Van Horne High School in 1965. He attended Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa where he met the love of his life, Barbara Jean Paulsen. On April 3, 1967, the two were united in marriage at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They had three children Brent, Bryan (Kelly), and Bridget. James and Barbara celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary on April 3, 2020. In 1967, James was drafted into the United States Army where he went to flight school. He arrived in Vietnam in 1968 where he was assigned to the 116th Assault Helicopter Company, "The Hornets". James was a UH-1C Aircraft Commander with the Stinger Gunship Platoon of the Hornets. The Stingers were an invite-only, elite group that flew cover and provided rocket and machine gun fire protection to helicopters that were hauling troops into battle. As Chief Warrant Officer, he flew a Huey gunship and his army brothers renamed him "Candy" (Barr). James was an American hero; he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross medal and 2 Purple Hearts for being wounded in combat. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In 2017, he was awarded the Benton County Legionnaire of the Year award for his support and service of the Van Horne Legion Post 148 where he had a 53-year membership. In April 2019, James and his father, Warren, were both awarded "Quilts of Valor" for their service in Vietnam and World War II, respectively. James was an entrepreneur and started his business, Barr & Sons Electric, Plumbing, and Heating, LLC in 1982. He wanted to provide for his family and also create an avenue of careers for his children. His work ethic, loyalty to his customers, and smart business acumen helped his business grow to become an amazing legacy to his family. James helped strengthen and served selflessly on the Van Horne Volunteer Fire Department for 26 years. He acted in many roles including Training Officer, Assistant Fire Chief, and Fire Chief. James also served on the Van Horne town counsel and managed the Senior Citizen apartments in Van Horne. As hard as James worked, he played just as hard. For 10 years, James was the music behind the infamous "Penguins" DJs along with his friend and hilarious front man, Don Knaack. The two took the neighboring counties by storm playing songs from the 1950's - 1980's and providing unending amounts of entertainment for those that hired or followed them. James was a lifetime member of the Van Horne Salem United Methodist Church. He enjoyed camping and watching NASCAR. He enjoyed several collections. First, John Deere tractors; he collected the toy versions as well as full-size mowers. Rather than changing the attachment (e.g., blade, broom, snowblower) on his full-size machines, he liked to purchase a new mower for each attachment. He also collected the annual Christmas Budweiser beer steins; his collection spans from 1982 to 2019. And lastly, James collected anything related to his favorite childhood television show "Hopalong Cassidy". James finally found and purchased his dream car, a 1964 GTO, in October, 2019. James was a teacher to some and a mentor to many. He will be remembered for his ornery antics, mischievous smile, and that twinkle in his eye that made you wonder whether he was joking. James is survived by his wife Barbara and their three children Brent, Bryan (Kelly), and Bridget; very special and long-awaited grandchildren Noah Joseph and Nash Nelson; his parents Warren and Bernadine Barr; his sister Pat Barr; his outlaws Sheila (Bud) Baker, Connie (Jerry) Redmond and many loving cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. The family would like to thank everyone for their continued support during James' cancer battle; including Dr. Rita Taylor-Stewart and her staff at the Van Horne Family Medical Clinic. Special thanks to James' cousin, Kathy, and her husband, Doug Tumilty, for assisting the family in countless ways; from meals and grocery shopping, to pep talks and organization, to sitting with the family during surgery. The family is forever grateful for your support. Phillips Funeral Homes
Burial information: Salem Cemetery, Van Horne, IA
This information was last updated 09/14/2020
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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