Barbara Gurr

Barbara Wynn Gurr, 91, passed away from complications of a stroke on November 30, 2021, while visiting her daughter in Gainesville, Florida. She was the devoted and proud mother of four daughters, grandmother of seven, and great-grandmother of seven.

Born August 7, 1930 in Dalton, Georgia, Barbara was the daughter of Vasseure Howe (V.H.) Wynn and Willie Louise Hannah. Orphaned at 4 years old during the Great Depression, Barbara, her siblings, and her mother struggled to survive during hard times. Barbara studied hard in school while Willie Lou worked tirelessly in a Dalton bedspread factory. As a teenager, Barbara attended Dalton High School, playing clarinet in the Catamounts Marching Band. After graduating, she and her mother moved to Jacksonville, Florida to reunite with her sister Frances, who worked as an aircraft radio mechanic at Jax NAS. Barbara graduated from Massey Business School as a secretary.

Barbara married Clifton Gurr upon his return from the Korean War, and the couple moved to Gainesville while Clif attended the University of Florida under the GI Bill. Barbara supported the family by working as a secretary for UF at the IFAS apiary unit. During this time daughter Wynne was born.

After graduating UF, the family moved to Atlanta, where both Barbara and Clif worked at the Lockheed C-130 Hercules facility.

Barbara became a full-time homemaker when the family moved Titusville Beach, where Clif started as a Titan I propulsion engineer during the infancy of the aerospace industry at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Daughters Lee Ann, Dicksie, and Kippy were born in the following years.

Barbara was a very active mother, and served as president of the Merritt Island Homemakers, was a Girl Scout leader, and also was a coach for Merritt Island Lassie League Softball. She was also very active in Brevard County social functions, including Martin Marietta company events.

After becoming single again, Barbara went to work for EG&G in the security division at Kennedy Space Center, where she was employed for 17 years. Barbara then worked in Carnival Cruise Lines customer service at Port Canaveral for two years.

In her retirement, Barbara enjoyed socializing in Cocoa Beach, particularly attending Brevard Jazz Society events. Barbara was an avid Gator football fan, cheering them on every weekend, and frequently attended Florida-Georgia games in Jacksonville.

Barbara was a very loving, kind, generous, and gracious southern lady.

Barbara is survived by daughters Lee Ann Padgett and Kippy Brunty (Dean); grandchildren Kip Padgett, Victoria Carlini, Sabrina Kaar, Rachel Carlini-Guerrero, Hannah Rosseau, Dalton Brunty, and Brandon Brunty. Seven great-grandchildren also survive her. She was predeceased by daughters Wynne Rosseau and Dicksie Carlini, and son-in-law Phillip Padgett.

Please contact the family for service information

Memorial donations may be made to the Brevard Humane Society (https://brevardhumanesociety.org/donate/ ).