Thoroughbred owner and breeder John H. Barr of Anaheim, Calif., peacefully passed away at the age of 93 on Sunday, Feb. 5.
John leaves Betty, the love of his life and his wife of 71 years; their daughters, Sherry Fordham and Marianne Iversen; son-in-law, Jon Lucas; grandchildren, Tim, Kyle, Laura, Mandy; great grandchildren, Cassie, Lily, Fiona, and Penny; sister, Mary Gissel and many other loving relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sharon Lucas; his grandson, Chris Fordham; and his sons-in-law, John Fordham and John Iversen.
John, the son of Alexander and Margaret Barr, was born in Riverside, Calif., and raised in Paramount, Calif. He graduated from Compton High and attended Whittier College. After a short stint in the U.S. Army and working in the oil business for 14 years, John ventured into a commercial real estate business which spanned the rest of his working career. After raising their daughters in Downey, Calif., John and Betty relocated to Orange County in 1977, where they have continued to live for the last 46 years.
John's desire to keep busy combined with his childhood fascination with horses and his love for racing led him to first purchase Quarter Horses and then Thoroughbreds, eventually forming Oakcrest Stable. John's passion for breeding and racing Thoroughbreds continued throughout the rest of his life.
John served in many capacities in the Thoroughbred industry including the board of directors of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association; president and board member of the Oak Tree Racing Association; along with the board of stewards of The Jockey Club and The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Safety Committee; as well as the board of directors of Breeders Cup, Ltd.
Although the real estate and horse businesses kept him busy, John also believed in giving back. During his business career, he served on the board of directors of American President Lines for 15 years. In 1990, John joined the board of directors of the Richard Nixon Foundation and served as their treasurer until 2021.
With all the success John experienced in his life, he would say the achievement he valued the most and undoubtedly brought him the most joy was his family. He loved getting the family together for Barr family vacations, with Hawaii being their ultimate favorite destination.
John lived his life being grateful for everything he had. One of his favorite quotes was “If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.”
Private burial will be held at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, Calif. A Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider a donation to one of John's favorite charities, the Edwin Gregson Foundation or to a favorite charity of your choice.
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