Myna Lee (Boettner) Barr

     Myna Lee (Boettner) Barr, age 96, formerly of rural Liberty, passed away Sunday, May 2, 2021 at the Nebraska P.E.O. Home in Beatrice.  She was born July 20, 1924 on a farm near Watson in Atchison County, Missouri, the youngest of two children, to Lee and Frances (Caster) Boettner.  Myna Lee’s five brief years of freedom as an adventurous youngster on the farm ended with her introduction to classroom education at Lone Cedar, a large rural school where the three-room structure still remains.  She excelled at the popular all-county track meets, winning many first-place blue ribbons in sprint races (no medals in those days).  Her love of sports was born in those competitions. 

     Myna Lee graduated from Rock Port, Missouri high school in 1942 and then attended nearby Tarkio College for two years where she met J.D. Barr from Liberty, Nebraska.  They were married December 28, 1944 while J.D. was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War Two.  While J.D. was at sea, Myna Lee was employed at the Citizens Bank in Rock Port. Following J.D.’s discharge from the Navy and college graduation, they moved to Nebraska in 1947 where they raised their family on the farm in the Mission Creek community.  Myna Lee was baptized and confirmed in the Centennial Methodist Church near her childhood home.  She was a member of the Mission Creek Presbyterian Church since moving to Nebraska.  She was a charter member of the T.E.N. (Ten Enthusiastic Neighbors) extension club and remained a member all forty-five years of its existence.  Myna Lee was a 69-year member of the Liberty American Legion Auxiliary, 78-year member of P.E.O. chapter DU in Rock Port, longtime member of the International Bowling Association, Red Hat Society of Wymore, and Cornhusker football fan and Memorial Stadium season ticket holder for over 65 years. She worked for several years at the Liberty State Bank. Her favorite activities included baking, cooking, raising flowers, bird watching, bowling, reading and writing poetry, listening to many types of music, traveling with friends all over the United States, keeping up with farm activities, and attending grandchildren’s activities.  Myna Lee found humor in cartoons and comic strips, her favorites being Beetle Bailey, Garfield and Peanuts. 

     Patriotism was very important to Myna Lee, noting that the Boettner family left their native Germany when faced with famine and deprivation.  With courage to face the uncertainty of a stormy winter Atlantic Ocean sailboat voyage that lasted nine weeks in 1853/1854, and braving hardships in a new land, they found freedom and opportunity in the steep loess hills of northwest Missouri. 

     Myna Lee is survived by children, Margo Sutter of Beatrice, John Barr and wife Kim of Flower Mound, Texas, Charles “Jim” Barr and wife Marsha of rural Liberty, Skip Barr and wife Lori of rural Liberty; son-in-law Jay Cronk of Vero Beach, Florida; grandchildren Jeremy Sutter and wife Jaimie, T.J. Sutter, Senior Master Sergeant J Barr, USAF, and wife Morgan, Jill (Barr) Nulton and husband Sam, Captain Jenny (Barr) Wickham, DNP, Nebraska Army National Guard, and husband Garrett, Captain Ross Barr, USAF, Daniel Barr, Captain Regan Barr, U.S. Army, and wife Jessica, Lee Barr and wife Heather, Lucas Barr and fiancee Vanessa Haberman; great-grandchildren McKendrick and Marlowe Sutter; Henry, Esme, and Iris Sutter; Carson and Olivia Barr; Brooklyn, Logan and Landon Barr; brother-in-law William Barr, and several nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband J.D. (2002), daughter Cynthia (1953), daughter Amy (2018), grandson Spencer Barr (2013), brother Charles Boettner and wife Vivian, brother-in-law Rev. Joe Barr and wife Elizabeth, and sister-in-law Norma Jean Barr.

     Memorials will go to the Mission Creek Cemetery, the Liberty American Legion Auxiliary or the Nebraska P.E.O. Home.  There will be a visitation from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday May 28 at the Harmon-Wright Mortuary in Beatrice.  A celebration of Myna Lee’s life will be at the Mission Creek Presbyterian Church, rural Liberty, at 10:30 a.m., May 29 with burial at the Mission Creek Cemetery immediately following the church service. Harman-Wright Mortuary in charge of arrangements.

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