Violet Barr, of Oak Park Heights, MN, formerly of St. Paul, MN, and Thief River Falls, MN, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2023 at Boutwells Landing Retirement Community in Oak Park Heights, at the age of 92.

A Memorial Service in honor of Violet will be held at 3:00 PM on Monday, April 3, 2023 at the Boutwells Landing Retirement Community Chapel in Oak Park Heights, MN.  Lunch and fellowship will follow at Boutwells Town Hall, adjoining Boutwells Landing Chapel.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM on Monday, April 3, 2023 at the Boutwells Landing Retirement Community Chapel.

Violet Joyce Blume was born on September 19, 1930 in Minneapolis, MN to Albert Thomas Blume and Cecilia Josephine (Meister). She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Faith. Her family lived in White Bear Lake, MN. She attended her first eight years of schooling at St. Mary 's Catholic Church in White Bear Lake, MN. She then attended the St. Joseph's Academy in St. Paul, graduating in 1948. She studied music and piano all of her days at the academy and eventually taught lessons at the academy. She started the process of becoming a nun and lived in a convent from 1948 to 1950. She then returned home to White Bear Lake working in several different jobs. She met up with her old teacher from St. Joseph's academy and trained as a pianist. She then played the Rachmaninoff Second Concertino at St. Joseph Academy, playing all three movements with the Liskowski Symphony Orchestra. Vi also studied voice at St. Catherine University and eventually taught voice in White Bear Lake.

She then met Charles Clifford Barr and they were married on May 25, 1957. All of her married life she taught private piano, voice, guitar and violin lessons in South St. Paul. She served as church organist and choir director at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in South St. Paul for several years through the late 1970's. She then became the choir director at St. Michael's in West St. Paul for a brief time. After her husband retired in 1982, Violet and Charles relocated to Thief River Falls, MN. She was the organist and choir director at Trinity Lutheran Church and the United Methodist Church in Thief River Falls. She continued to privately teach piano, voice, guitar, and violin.

Vi was an avid painter, including oil and watercolor. She enjoyed china painting, chip carving, Hardanger embroidery and tatting.

Violet is survived by her four daughters: Peggy (Al) Magee, South St. Paul, MN; Holly (Wayne) Swanson, North Oaks, MN; Terry (Kevin) Doffing, Clear Lake, WI; Kathy (Brad) Chambers, Princeton, MN.

She has 17 grandchildren: Holli Rae Magee; Heather Magee; Mikalynn (Joel) Hauer; Dylan (Brittany) Wojtowicz; Kaidra (Greg) Gruber; Madison Wojtowicz; Andrew (Renae) Swanson; Evie (Emmanuel) Roldan; Linnea (Justin) Hill; Izak Swanson; Timera Madison; Tiana (Tom) Gray; Torrance Keim; Shaine (Carli) Chambers; Dericka (Weston) Haugan; Brent (Tessa) Chambers; Jamie Chambers; and Nichole (Jonathon) Leopold. She also has 20 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, her grandson Elias Swanson, and her husband Charles Barr.

Condolences may be sent to Holly Swanson, 26 Eagle Ridge Road, North Oaks, MN 55127