Jacqueline "Jackie" Barr Surprenant
June 30, 1929 ~ April 2, 2020
Jacqueline “Jackie” Barr Surprenant, 90, Indianapolis, passed away April 2, 2020. Mrs. Surprenant was born June 30, 1929, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to the late Fred and Dorothy Ola (Wagoneer) Brunke.
Jackie attended the University of Indianapolis and worked in banking for 30 years. She had been employed at Indiana National Bank, the National Bank of Detroit, Bank One, and retired from Chase in 2006. A long-time member of St. Barnabas Catholic Church, she also taught CCD classes there for years. She was a volunteer at St. Francis Hospital and also enjoyed her part-time work at the Fountain Square Marion County Library. Jackie will be fondly remembered by her loving family.
In addition to her parents, Jackie was preceded in death by her first husband, James Barr; her second husband, Homer Surprenant; her son, Stephen T. Barr; a half-brother, Fredrick Charles Brunke and a grandchild, Lindsay Jenkins.
Survivors include her sons, Dale R. Barr, Robert J. (Pati) Barr, and Charles M. (Susan) Barr; daughters, Jennifer B. (Bob) Zigler, Theresa M. (Jim) Lawrence, Mary C. (the late Vince) Baker, Patricia A. (Mark) Roe, and E. Joann (Patrick) Kane; sister, Patricia Ocheskey; nine grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren.
A private family service will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at the O’Riley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery. A public memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Those wishing to participate in Jackie’s funeral on Tuesday are invited to view the service on the O’Riley YouTube channel by visiting www.ORileyFuneralHome.com.
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She was a wonderful neighbor and friend for 55 years and gave my children such wonderful memories. The all loved Wednesday’s, it was homemade bread day at the Barr’s and they all stopped at her house after school and she shared her wonderful baked goods. She was a good listener and always made time for you to talk. She will be missed but she was a gift to many and we are thankful to have had her in our life. Bridget
I am blessed to have had her in my life. I met her when I was 5 years old living in the third house down from the house I grew up in. Her house was always full of activities and even though she had 9 children of her own I was always welcomed to join. I remember the wonderful smells of the cooking going on in her kitchen. She even allowed me and JoAnn to bake cookies, even though they didn’t turn out so good most of the time. I remember walking home from school on Wednesday’s and we could smell the homemade bread a block away and the cinnamon bread, wow! We were always invited to have a slice. She didn’t mind the pile of ice skates in her entryway after an afternoon of skating on the pond. We were allowed to build “forts” in apple tree in side yard. She never complained about the hours of basket ball noise from her backyard nor the radio blasting rock music from her front porch. Her laugh was contagious and even at 90 her eyes were a brilliant blue. She will be missed.
I spent many days, and nights at her home as a young girl. Always feeling welcome after school or on a weekend. I learned to ice skate on a Friedens pond without ever owning a pair of skates. They always had a pile of them in all sizes. Everyone in this family grew to be wonderful, caring people. She was a good Mom to all. Karen Barthelmes (Hurrle)
As one of the younger bunch we couldn’t wait to go ice skating at Freidens pond. The older boys would check the ice to make sure it was safe and mom would drop 3 of us off. We would skate till we were frozen and go back to the Barr’s. Coats and skates were everywhere and we always had hot chocolate afterwards. Jackie and mom tweaked the perfect recipe for the hot chocolate. I remember many times as a kid Jackie would be at my house chatting with mom. Jackie was always someone I could look up to and felt very comfortable with. Mrs. Barr, a strong rock of a mom!
. I hope you two are having a cup of coffee again! Tell mom hi
We were so sorry to hear this news–our family remembers Mrs. Barr as a kind, reliable neighbor and “mom” at St. Barnabas. Tina, Tim and Theresa Cartwright