John Allen Barr III

John Allen Barr III (known lovingly as “Big Al”) passed away on October 25th, 2025 in Carbondale, IL. Born January 30th, 1976 in Fort Lewis, WA at Madigan Army Medical Center, he touched numerous lives through nearly 20 years of first responder service as an EMT. Father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, teammate, co-worker, and friend were all roles he held with pride and gratitude. Known for his size and strength, in reality he was a gentle giant with a desire to help others while expecting nothing in return. He was a lifelong fan of University of Kentucky basketball and the Dallas Cowboys, much to his brothers’ dismay, but redeemed himself by rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals. In addition to sports, he also enjoyed working on vehicles and attending car shows, with a particular interest in muscle cars. Camaro, Firebird, Mustang, he drove all of them at one point or another, sometimes a touch faster than allowed by law. A 1994 graduate of Eldorado High School, he was a lifelong learner and was in pursuit of his Paramedic certification at the time of his passing.

Allen is survived by his sons, Zander Williams and Zayne Barr; his mother, Brenda Cook (Barr/Smith); his brothers, Chris (Alicia) Barr, Jason (Taylor) Barr, and Michael (Megan) Smith; his nephews, Gavin Barr, Landon Barr, Julian Barr, Quinn Barr, and Mason Smith; his uncle, Greg (Michelle) Cook; and several cousins and close friends and other family members who were often a source of support and kindness. He was preceded in death by his father, John Allen Barr II; and his partner, Taryn Hopkins. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 pm Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at the Colonial Terrace Funeral Home with Curt Morris officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday 10:00 am until service time at the funeral home. Burial will be at Wolf Creek Cemetery. Well wishes and remembrances may be sent to the funeral home for those who wish to honor his memory. www.colonialterracefuneralhome.com