Barry Lahann

Barry Raymond Lahann died at home with his devoted wife Linda by his side on December 10, 2018.    Barry’s eight month battle with metastatic melanoma was a lesson in courage, patience, grace and finally peace.

Barry was born in Davenport Iowa on May 11, 1943 to Lowell and Ruth Lahann.  He grew up in Maquoketa, Iowa with three siblings and many circles of friends from school, sports, choir, church, and importantly Linda, his high school sweetheart and all nine of Linda’s siblings. Barry wrote a collection of memories about these years for his children and grandchildren that continue to be a source of laughter and reflection.

Barry and Linda were married on July 27, 1963.  Their 55 years together were filled with love, family, service to others, shared dreams and many accomplishments.

Barry graduated from the University of Iowa (as did Linda, Laura and Leah) and was a life-long loyal Hawkeye fan.

Barry was an educator and served the broader community with passion, skill and tireless energy.  He was the principal at Alan Shepard Elementary school in Long Grove for 30 years. He served with an amazing group of administrators and teachers in the North Scott School district helping to make one of the best and most sought after school districts in the state.  After retiring from North Scott he continued in service in many ways, including as a principal at St. Alphonsus in Davenport, and teaching home instruction students who couldn’t otherwise attend school.  Connecting with home instruction students is something he and Linda continued for many years after retirement.

Barry served education in other ways as well.  In the early 1980s Barry was part of school accreditation work done around the country and around the world including the work he did in Japan helping US schools abroad with quality programming.  Barry also served on the North Scott Education Foundation board of directors for years helping to make scholarships available to hundreds of North Scott students going on to further their education after high school.   Barry was passionate and principled about so many critical issues facing our schools and country.  Through Linda’s passion and life’s work with immigrant and refugee populations Barry made an impact and many life-long friends with first generation Americans.

From age 5 until just a few weeks before he died, Barry sought to help faith communities celebrate God’s love through music including at weddings, funerals, Sunday worship and other special liturgical celebrations -   never a performance and always in pursuit of a collective experience. Barry was particularly proud to have sung with four generations in church choirs including the 175th anniversary celebration at St. Ann’s this year and for many years at Our Lady of Victory in Davenport.  Barry and Linda also gave themselves to service through teaching in Faith Formation, team leading Marriage Encounter and Christian Experience weekends (CEW), sponsoring couples preparing for marriage, St. Ann’s Building Committees, Catechumen Programs (for new Catholics) and many other faith based programs.

Barry was a humble man, but he was most proud of his children and grandchildren.  He was a friend, confidant, advisor, teacher and role model.  Besides sharing his love of music with each of them, he liked to plan and execute adventures.   The love of the great outdoors and exploring places steeped in history were passed to his grandchildren.  They had the privilege of frequent adventures with Papa and Nonie around this great country and around the world.

Barry is survived by his loving wife, Linda Lahann, daughters and their husbands Laura Newinski (David) from Minneapolis and Leah Allen (Lonnie Behnke) from Eldridge; four grandchildren, Jonathan and Andrew Newinski and Adam and Abby Allen.  Barry’s siblings and their spouses, Richard Lahann (Paula), Marabeth Freund (Norman), Joe Connell (Jan) and Linda’s siblings and spouses Bonnie Maxey, Bill Bullock, Sharon Bullock, Connie Caven (Bill), Jerry Bullock (Dot), John Stein, Nancy Longwell (Warren), Joe Bullock (Linda), Barb Wright (Steve) and Mary Lundeen and dozens of nieces and nephew and their families.

Predeceased by parents Lowell and Ruth Lahann, Linda’s parents Pauline and Dwight Bullock, Barry’s sister Katherine Connell and Kathy and Joe’s daughter Sharon, and brothers and sister in-law Don Maxey, Judy Stein and Gary Lundeen.

Barry’s Memorial Mass will be celebrated 10:30am Saturday, December 15, 2018 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Long Grove.  Burial will be in St. Ann’s Cemetery’s Columbarium.  Visitation will be 4 to 8pm Friday evening at the church.  Additional visitation will be held from 9:30am until 10:30am Saturday at the church.   In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the North Scott Education Foundation. If you do prefer to send flowers, the family prefers poinsettia plants in white, red or pink.

Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

We are grateful for the excellent care Barry received from the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, for the hope inspired by Dr. Mo and his team and the guidance and care from Dr. Michael Schreck and Genesis Hospice in Barry’s final days. We are also grateful for the prayers, care and support from friends, family and the community.