Nelson Barr

Jr.Nelson Travis Barr Jr., 76, in Tucson, Ariz., passed away on Tuesday, July 2, 2013, after a long illness.A longtime resident of Tucson, Nelson was born in Knoxville, Tenn., and spent his childhood and youth in Chattanooga. He was a 1955 graduate of Notre Dame High School. Nelson joined the Marine Corps after graduation and later served in the Air Force. After training at the Army Language School in Monterey, Calif., Nelson was assigned as a Russian interpreter at the Pentagon.Following his military service, Nelson studied at Providence College in Rhode Island and at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson, where he also taught English. Prior to that, he taught philosophy at the Catholic University of Santiago, Chile.Nelson was preceded in death by his parents, Nelson Travis Barr and Margaret Faitha Dean Barr, of Chattanooga. He is survived by a son, Joshua Nelson, of New York; and a daughter, C. Faitha Bailey Sluets and son-in-law, David Slutes, of Tucson; two grandchildren, Jack Daithi and Selkie Frances Sluets, of Tucson; brother, Dr. David Farrington Barr, of Melbourne, Fla.; and sister, Mary Charlotte Barr, of Chattanooga; aunt, Mary Dean Degenhard; and nephew, Christopher Farrington Barr.The family will receive friends from 7-8 p.m. today at the North Chapel of the Chattanooga Funeral Home, followed by the recitation of the rosary.A Latin requiem mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 6, at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in downtown Chattanooga, with Father David Carter as celebrant and Nelsons lifelong friend, David Pennebaker, as organist.Following the funeral, Nelson will be buried in the family plot at Forest Hills Cemetery in St. Elmo, Clifton Durham, Al Clarke, Bob Bagby and Jimmy Day serving as honorary pallbearers.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to his favorite charity, St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com.Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson.