Biography:

John Charles Barr was born June 7, 1943, and died May 6, 2026.

John was born in Manhattan, Kansas to Charles Bennett and Dorothy E. Barr, and grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Suzann Welty Barr.  John is also survived by nieces Kathleen Wood (Nick), of Studio City, CA; Dr. Carrie Wood-Nobrega (Edward), of Paxton, MA, and nephew Brian R. Wood (Jayne) of Leawood, KS, and many cousins.

John completed high school in Kansas City, KS, and in 1962, at age 19, joined the United States Navy. In the Navy, following basic training, he transferred to and completed Enlisted Men’s Submarine School.  Immediately following, he served a battleship tour on the Basilone to Viet Nam.  Returning from Viet Nam, in 1963 he completed the Navy Enlisted Men’s Nuclear Power School. He qualified on the USS Corporal. Subsequently, he was assigned to the nuclear submarine USS Lewis and Clark, with tours to the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.  He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 1968.

On returning home, John enrolled at the University of Kansas, earning degrees in geography and urban planning. While at KU, he worked at the NASA Reseach Facility, where he met Suzann.

Following college, in 1974, John was employed as Planning Director in Gadsden County, Florda.  While there, he earned a master’s degrees in planning and urban design at Florida State University, where he also taught urban planning classes.

On moving to Little Rock in 1981, John worked for Metroplan, Little Rock Water Reclamation, and Little Rock Department of Public Works, where he was Director of Special Projects.

John and Suzann were members of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.  John enjoyed serving in the St. Mark’s Bread Brigade, delivering food donations to St. Francis House each Sunday morning.  Also, until Covid struck the country, he enjoyed weekly visits to nursing homes, swapping stories and talking to interesting elders.

He will be remembered as a person who enjoyed meeting, talking with, and when needed, serving the people who graced his life.

A memorial service will be held on Friday May 22, 2026, at 1 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Little Rock, Arkansas. Interment will follow in the church columbarium.  Arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com

Memorial may be made to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 1000 N Mississippi, Little Rock AR 72207, Little Rock Animal Village, 4500 Kramer Street, Little Rock AR 72204 or a charity of your choice.