Our loving husband, father, son, brother, cheerleader, friend and champion passed away on February 15th, 2023. Shawn lived 53 years of his life and how. He tasted every mortal death but only some would live the life. Rumi tells us that everyone will die ultimately but those who would live would be different people.
Shawn Justin Barr was born November 4 1969 in Salt Lake City, Utah to his loving parents, Pamela and Randy. He grew up in Salt Lake surrounded by family and friends who led adventurous lives. Shawn loved chasing Bill and Brandon into all their fun (and trouble) moments as well as giving his baby sister Amber some love torment. Shawn could always find love, consolation and sandwiches around his house thanks to his wonderful mom Pam. He also loved playing Church Ball and getting involved in Scouting because of his Eagle Scout status. Because he was so dedicated to completing all 21 merit badges required for the award, he would never stop until he had completed them all. The Bishop discovered that Shawn’s achievements were a result of his desire to learn and explore life. The Bishop also noticed that Shawn was praised for secondary reasons. Since then, the Bishop sat the young man down to make sure he was okay. All of this shows that Shawn’s motivation was not to earn awards; it was to learn and experience new things.
After his mother requested that Shawn graduate early from high school, the teen decided to earn a GED so he could graduate early. He then took his older brother Brandon’s car to California in hopes of staying close to his big brother. The CRX ride turned out to be one of the most important times in Shawn’s life as he worked at City National Bank on Wilshire Boulevard. Utah native Shawn spent a year in Dixie State after moving back to the state. He soon became interested in aviation while at the school, and decided to pursue a career as a pilot. He chose Dixie because of the school’s tagline at the time, “Dixie: An Academic Climate.” Shawn graduated from Westminster College with a Bachelor’s degree after transferring from the college. Then, he worked for Jet Charter, Skywest and Air Med before aiming to fly for a major commercial airline. For this purpose, Shawn worked at Delta Airlines as an assistant . Shawn worked as a Delta Flight Instructor for the 757/767 and Captain on the 767 before becoming a First Officer. He was also a Captain on the 757 before becoming a Delta Instructor for the 757 at Atlanta. After that, he was an A320 Captain out of Salt Lake City. Shawn was planning to move to the A330 in Seattle once his tenure at Delta ended.
Shawn was introduced to Erin in 2015. They got married to each other, and then later divorced. Despite this, Shawn remained grateful for the time he spent with her as his college sweetheart. In Italy’s Tuscany region, they married in 2018. Many people found the pair compelling or irritating. One close companion opined that they had an immense affection for each other. When their son, Jack Justin, was born in 2020 despite all odds, Shawn was instantly enveloped in love for his son. Jack knew he was happiest when he spent time with his father at all times. Although Jack’s mother wasn’t thrilled about the birth, she accepted it. Jack and his father were inseparable from then on.
Shawn loved every pursuit with passion and intensity. This included classic car collecting, fishing, golfing, exploring, skiing, real estate investing and development and reading. Shawn also opened Bonneville Speed Shop with a friend in 2019. This classic car restoration business is located at his home and is fully staffed. Shawn’s many talents included helping people pursue their passions and goals, overcoming doubts and filling the voids in their lives. He was particularly adept at maintaining strong connections with his family and friends, which is a remarkable feat considering his large social group. Shawn dedicated his life to taking care of and providing for others. However, he would never have experienced even a fraction of that during his lifetime.
Shawn’s loving spouse Erin and her 2 ½-year-old son Jack are his survivors. Additionally, Shawn’s family includes Bill who is his mother Lara’s husband; Brandon, Janice and Amber who are his siblings; Mike as his stepbrother; Gordon as his half-sister Shelly; Tracie as Mykel’s wife; Jannae, Launa, Victor and Angela as half-sisters Camille, Elisa and Angela; Brian as Camille’s husband; Mykel as Victor’s husband; Brian as Angela’s husband and Matt as Angela’s current boyfriend.
Shawn’s loved ones died before him; too many to list in full are Larry Bryson and Randall Barr as his step-father and father figures respectively. Additionally, his step-mother, Joann, and his aunt, Margie Yribar, both passed away.
A celebration of life will take place on Thursday, February 23 from 6pm to 9pm at Starks Funeral Parlor. People attending should enter through the north side of the building, which is accessed via the parking lot and doors.
