Legendary Bud Barr passes away

TORONTO — Longtime trucking industry supporter and former fleet executive Edward (Bud) Barr passed away yesterday at Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg, Ont. He was 87.

Barr, who was also the head of the Ontario Trucking Association’s Education Foundation, was the husband of Belinda Junkin and the late Dorrie MacPherson; and father of Stephen Barr (Marnie Housley) and step-father to Brandon and Colin Junkin.

"On behalf of the OTA, I would like to express our deeply felt sadness on the passing of Bud and our sympathies to his family," said OTA President David Bradley in a press release after learning of Bud’s passing. "Bud was an institution at OTA, an organization I know he loved and in so doing inspired us all. There was not a voluntary position at OTA that Bud did not hold. He was indeed as much a part of our group as the association staff. He will be greatly missed."

The OTA established an annual $5,000 scholarship in 2001 in honor of Bud. The fund aids a university or college-bound son or daughter of a truck driver who is having a tough time making ends meet as the result of illness, injury, or death of their over-the-road parent. 

Bud was not only a legend among trucking circles, but was also very well known and loved in his Cobourg community. A resident all of his life, Barr was a member of Cobourg’s historical society and architectural advisory committee.

A funeral mass will be held at 1:30 Tuesday October 20, 2009 at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, 379 Division Street North, Cobourg.

If desired, memorial contributions may be made by cheque to the OTA Education Foundation. Click here for more info.  


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*