Rayburn Anderson Barr

Mr. Rayburn Anderson Barr, 82, retired City of Columbia employee, died Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at St. Thomas Hospital. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with his nephew, Dalton Cole and Bradley Dugger officiating. Burial will be in Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Friday from 4 - 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Columbia Academy, 1101 West 7th St., Columbia, TN 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. The Maury County native was the son of the late Marvin Barr and Douglas Anderson Barr. He attended Enterprise School and later Hay Long High School in Mt. Pleasant. He received an honorary diploma by leaving school to join the United States Army in December of 1943. He held the rank of T5 Corporal. His basic training was at Camp Lee, Virginia, Quarter Master Division, POE. He was then sent to Camp House, Texas then to Camp Van Dorne, Mississippi. He was reassigned to the 78th Engineers in San Diego, California then was sent to Manila, Philippines and Yokahama, Japan. He returned to the United States in June, 1946 and was honorably discharge from Fort Smith, Arkansas. He obtained his pilot's license at the Mt. Pleasant Airport in 1948 and worked for a time at the Tennessee Knitting Mills in Columbia. In 1991 he retired from the City of Columbia as Shop Foreman of the Streets Department with 32 years of service. Mr. Barr enjoyed working outdoors, cutting grass with his John Deere tractor, and traveling and camping. He enjoyed meeting with his friends for coffee and conversation at Hardee's and McDonald's northside locations. He was a member of Jackson Heights church of Christ. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Rachel Davis Barr of Columbia; daughter, Sharon (Phillip) Skinner of Columbia; son, Steve (Sharon) Barr of Columbia; 3 granddaughters, Dana Grant (Richard) Smith, Heather (Bryan) Butler, Stephanie (Brad) Stacy all of Columbia; 4 great-grandchildren, Mallory McLemore, Madison McLemore, Bryce Butler, Chloe Butler all of Columbia; 1 step-grandchild, Zackery Stacy of Columbia; 3 sisters, Imogene O'Neal, Barbara Spencer, Sue (James) Patterson all of Columbia; and one brother, Ralph (Dora) Barr of Ethridge. He was preceded in death by a brother, Winfred Barr and two brothers-in-law, Cabe O'Neal and Deuel Spencer. Active pallbearers will be Phillip Skinner, Richard Smith, Bryce Butler, Bryan Butler, Brad Stacy, Gerald Barr, Jerry Attkisson and James Patterson. Honorary pallbearers will be Faye and Earl Cooper, Wendell O'Neal, Terry Spencer, Jim Reason and friends from Jackson Heights Church of Christ.