Obituary of Nadyne Elizabeth Barr

Nadyne Elizabeth (Welby) Barr was born July 19, 1915 and was raised in Portland, Oregon. She graduated from Jefferson High School in 1932 and was a very proud Jefferson Democrat. In her early years, Nadyne worked in homes doing housework and taking care of children. She also worked in sales at the Bonnie Blue Bakery. Nadyne married G. Bert Barr on Feb. 23, 1940. They had 3 children, Tim, Kathy and Jeannine. Nadyne loved being a mother and homemaker and doing volunteer work. She was a Den mother for the Girl and Boy Scouts. She enjoyed bowling, golfing, gardening, knitting, sewing, cooking, word search puzzles, and jig saw puzzles. Nadyne volunteered with Meals on Wheels, Court Watch, Montivilla Neighborhood Association, League of Women Voters, and was a guide at the Pittock Mansion. She was most proud to have worked with the Portland Police K-9 Unit doing fund raisers and participating in functions to honor the Police and their dogs. She was also very proud of her country and those who protect us. She loved a good political discussion and was a lifelong Democrat. Nadyne had a special love for all animals especially her pet cats Twiggy and Boots and her children’s cats and dogs. She also loved music of all kinds, especially country, and was always open to listening to the “new” music her children were listening to. Nadyne enjoyed traveling. Some of her more memorable trips were to Hawaii, Victoria B. C., Arizona, The Bahamas and Memphis to visit Elvis’s home at Graceland. Her very favorite place to go was Seaside, Oregon. She loved to get up in the morning and walk the shoreline looking for sand dollars. Then she would head for the bakery for something delicious and later would be sure to have a crab cocktail. Every visit to Seaside had to include a stop at the Lewis and Clark Salt Carin. This is a tradition that her family continues to maintain. In 1965, Bert passed away. She still had 1 child at home so she got a job at Lerners Shops and worked there for 16 years retiring in 1981. Nadyne was a very independent woman. She maintained her own home, did her own yard work, painted her home inside and out and since she did not drive, she walked, or rode buses to work and all her volunteer jobs without ever asking for assistance. She did all this without complaining and with a cheerful heart. Nadyne had a big heart, was kind, and had a great sense of humor. She loved to laugh till it hurt and loved to tease and be teased. Friendships were very important to her and she maintained them throughout her entire life. Her greatest source of pride and joy were her children, Tim Barr, Kathy Stephens, and Jeannine Tune, her grand children, Bob Barr, Debbie Stout, Aubrey-Anne Tune and Rebecca Brink and her great grandchildren, Kelsey and Kendall Stout, Erin and Cara Jo Barr, and Elizabeth (her namesake) and Paige Brink and her great, great grandchild Zoe Barr. She left them with wonderful memories and traditions that they will cherish and pass down. Nadyne was a loving daughter to her mother and father, Emily Susan and Reuben Welby, a loving sister to her brothers George and Bob Welby and sister Dorothy Miller and loving Aunt to all her nieces and nephews. She was dearly loved by her sons-in-law Dennis Tune and Terry Stephens and her daughter-in-law Jeanette Barr. When Nadyne was 79 yrs old, she suffered a stroke that left her with many challenges. She continued to live on her own, then with her daughter and then in assisted living. She stayed strong throughout this entire ordeal maintaining her strong will to overcome her limitations and her great sense of humor. During this time she developed loving friendships with her caregivers who she thought of as family. Nadyne was an inspiration to her children and all who knew her. She was always there to share her candies, cookies and most especially a hug and a smile.