SOUTH Paris – Barbara Eloise (McAlister) Farr, 80, of West Paris, died Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Veteran’s home in South Paris following a period of failing health.

She was born Jan. 1, 1928, in South Paris, the eldest child of Archie Winfield and Doris Mae (McAllister) McAlister. She attended Paris and Norway Schools and returned to night school in midlife to receive her diploma from Oxford Hills High School, graduating in 1973.

On March 30, 1947, she married Raymond Rudolph Farr Jr. in West Paris, where they raised a family of five children. In addition to being a wife and mother, she taught Sunday School at the First Universalist Church in West Paris when her children were young, and was deeply involved as a 4-H leader in West Paris for many years. As her kids grew older, she worked at Perham’s Maine Mineral Store at Trap Corner. Her interests included mineral collecting, crossword puzzles, knitting, sewing and crafting decoupage treasure boxes from ordinary household containers. All in her family received hand-knit mittens through the years in such a box. She was also deeply tied to family gatherings and reunions and served as secretary of the Seth and Abbie McAlister Family reunions for many years.

She is survived by her husband, Raymond R. Farr of West Paris; five children, Donald Warren Farr of Mechanic Falls and his wife, Andrea, Brenda Lee Smith of Woodstock and her husband Ray, Nancy Lynn Hersey of Gray and her husband, Brad, Kevin Raymond Farr of Oxford and his wife, Dee and John Fordyce Farr of West Paris; nine grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild; two stepgrandchildren; eight stepgreat-grandchildren; and one stepgreat-great-grandchild; three half-sisters, Joanne Cooper of Buckfield, Flora Thayer and her husband, Bruce, of Norway and Florene Lawrence of Lewiston; a half-brother, Warren McAlister and his wife, Bonnie, of Florida; a stepbrother, Alfred Proctor; and many nieces and nephews, including Gary Herrick and his wife, Denise, and son, Christopher of Florida, Charlene Manson and husband, Dick, and daughters, Heather, Nicole and Megan of West Paris.

She was predeceased by her mother, Doris McAlister; father, Archie; and stepmother, Edith (Proctor) McAlister; a sister, Nancy Herrick; a half-brother, Wesley McAlister; a stepsister, Rose Verrill; and two stepbrothers, Joseph and Kenneth Proctor.