Bonnie (McKinney) Barr

Bonnie Barr, age 89, of Coleman,  went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.  The family will host a visitation on Friday, August 11, from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Stevens Funeral Home.  Funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 12, in Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with Richard Hetzel officiating.  Interment will be in the Burkett Cemetery.  Services are entrusted to Stevens Funeral Home.

Bonnie was born in Burkett, Texas, on August 2, 1934, to O. L. and Modeen Edington McKinney.  Bonnie grew up in Burkett, where she loved to play basketball under Coach Chambers.  As a teenager, Bonnie met the love of her life, Edward James (E. J.) Barr.  Bonnie’s parents insisted she had to be 16 before she could get married.  The day after she turned 16, Bonnie and E. J. married.  They were married 36 years until E. J. ‘s death in 1986.

E. J. and Bonnie lived in Cross Plains until E. J. was called to duty and served in the Korean War.  Bonnie was able to join E. J. during his Florida deployment.  While in Florida, she trained and became a nurses-aid. After E. J. ‘s return from the Air Force, they lived in Abilene and Monument, New Mexico.

In 1960, Bonnie and E. J. and the boys moved to Coleman where Bonnie lived until her death.  In Coleman, along with being a homemaker and raising two boys, Bonnie had the Auction Barn Café.

Bonnie did all the cooking for the Auction Barn as well as serving the customers for two sales each week.  There was only a counter and refrigerator at the Auction Barn, so Bonnie cooked everything at her house and carried it to the Auction Barn for the two weekly sales.

Bonnie also worked with E. J. in his electrical business answering the telephone call for service while maintaining a home, helping on the farm, and running a household.  She later worked at Grammer’s Department Store but ended up using most of her earnings to purchase clothing from the store.  She worked for several years in the office at CMS Health Care.

Bonnie enjoyed watching the old westerns and the rodeos on the Cowboy Channel, as well as attending the Coleman Rodeo every year.  She liked to watch her grandchildren at the junior rodeos and play days. She was a member of the Fun Bunch and regularly joined them, when she could, at Owl Drug Store.  Bonnie helped at her church and served many of her wonderful home cooked dishes during church functions. Bonnie also delivered Meals on Wheels to the less fortunate families. She loved watching the Dallas Cowboys and often attended the Coleman Bluecat football games if she was able to do so.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband E. J. Barr, and her parents, O. L. and Modeen McKinney.

Bonnie is survived by her son, Ronnie Barr and wife Penny of Early, son, Mike Barr and wife Tammy of Coleman; sister, Billie Faye Williams of Coleman; grandchildren, Chad Barr of West Fork, Arkansas, Dana King and husband Shane of Bangs, Jonathan Barr and Jessica of Dripping Springs; great grandchildren, Warrick, Ryker and Jubilee Barr of West For, Arkansas, Hadley and Holt King of Bangs, and Charlie Barr of Dripping Springs; several nieces, nephews and cousins survive, along with a multitude of friends.

Donations made be made to the United Christian and Presbyterian Church, 1609 S. Commercial Avenue,  Coleman, Texas 76834, Holiday Hill Nursing Home, P. O. Box 392, or Coleman Home Health and Hospice, 1214 S. Commercial Avenue, Coleman, Texas 76834.

Please leave kind thoughts and condolences for the family at www.stevensfuneralhome.com.  Stevens Funeral Home is honored to serve the Barr family.