Laura Barr

Laura Barr, 95, of Hutchinson, Kansas passed away peacefully on Feb.
15. Laura was born March 9, 1912 in New York, NY to parents of
Russian decent. She moved to Hutchinson at the age of 10 when she was
adopted by Joe and Rosa Weinlood and remained a lifelong resident.
Laura began painting in the early 50s and made it her life’s work.
She was active in the Hutchinson Art Association since the 1950s and
served on the the Board of Directors of the Hutchinson Art Association
for many years. She participated in the Hutchinson Art Fair since its
inception when it was held at the Hutchinson News parking lot. She
has won numerous awards for her work and has paintings displayed and
owned by many businesses and individuals in Hutchinson, as well as
across Kansas and beyond. She has had exhibits in many juried shows
and won awards throughout Kansas. She has been a featured artist of
the Kansas Water Color Society for many years.
She saw life through the eyes of an artist and enriched the lives of
her family and friends through her insights. For example, she
believed that winter was not barren of life–it was graced with the
lace of leafless trees against the sky. She believed the dead weeds
of Autumn were not to be scorned, but collected and arranged as still
lifes full of beauty and character.
Despite her passion for art, her overriding love was in her family
and friends. She lived for visits by her grandchildren and thoroughly
enjoyed trips with her family, especially to the Chicago Art Expo with
Shirley.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Barr, and her son,
Joel, and her brothers George and Abe Weinlood. She is survived by
her son and daughter-in-law, David and Shirley Barr, two
granddaughters, Kelsey Barr and Courtney Ferguson and Byron,
Courtney’s husband.
A gathering of friend and celebration of life will be held 3 p.m.
Sat. at the Hutchinson Art Center. In lieu of flowers, the family
suggest donations to the Laura Barr art scholarship fund at the
Hutchinson Community College, HCC Endowment Assoc., 1300 N. Main,
Hutchinson 6750