Lonas Hurd Tarr

LONAS HURD TARR, age 89, of Jefferson City, TN passed away at 11:00 p.m. September 1, 2009 at Lifecare Nursing Home. Born on May 26, 1920 to Mabel Lewallen and Hurd Lonas Tarr, he was raised in Jefferson City and graduated from Carson-Newman College in May 1941. Mr. Tarr joined the US Army Air Corp just before World War II in November 1941. After completing his pilot?s training, he was assigned to the Ferry Command Unit, and his job was to deliver airplanes all over the world. He delivered B-25?s to the British and A-20 attack bombers to the Russian allies in Iran. He was transferred to Air Transport just before D-Day and transported military personnel throughout France and Germany, and took part in secret missions to fly sensitive documents in and out of Switzerland. At the conclusion of the war he was chief pilot in Naples, Italy. When World War II was over, he was asked to be the personal pilot for General Dwight D. Eisenhower, but declined to return to civilian life as a pilot with American Airlines. In 1952, he was asked by American Airlines to set up the International Division of Air India. Following his father?s death in 1952, Mr. Tarr took a leave of absence from American Airlines to come home and settle his father?s affairs. While in Jefferson City, he decided to stay and purchased the Chevrolet dealership and opened the doors to Tarr Chevrolet Company on May 1, 1952. He relocated his family back to Jefferson City and became active in many church, civic and community affairs. He continued his family tradition of support for Carson-Newman College, serving several terms on the Board of Trustees and overseeing the building of the Music Building. On May 10, 1997, he was given the college?s highest honor, an Honorary Doctorate of Letters. Throughout his active life, Mr. Tarr enjoyed following Carson-Newman College and University of Tennessee sports teams all over the country to several championship and bowl games. He maintained his pilot?s and flight instructor?s licenses until his early 80?s and received much satisfaction out of taking clients and friends ?up for a spin? in his small private plane to show them the geography of the area viewed from the air. Besides being a good businessman, Mr. Tarr was also known for his generous heart. He remembered those less fortunate in many ways. He gave food baskets away to many needy families during the holidays and anonymously met the needs of many other individuals throughout the years. He endowed several scholarships at Carson-Newman College for students with financial needs and financially supported many other endeavors at the college. In 2002, Mr. Tarr was honored by Chevrolet as a ?50 Year Dealer? and for having the oldest Chevrolet dealership in the state under original management. Mr. Tarr was an active member of First Baptist Church in Jefferson City, where he served as a life deacon, as a Sunday School teacher, and served on several committees. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Helen Tarr of Jefferson City; sons and their wives, William (Bill) and Deirdre Tarr, Jack and Kathy Tarr; daughter, Judy Tarr Gooch and her husband Warren; eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank the staff at Lifecare Nursing Home for their compassionate care of Mr. Tarr over the last few months. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at First Baptist Church of Jefferson City on Sunday, September 6, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. with Dr. Gene Wilder officiating. The family will receive friends at First Baptist Church from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and following the funeral service. Family and friends will meet at 10:00 a.m. Monday morning at Farrar Funeral Home to proceed to Jefferson Memorial Gardens for an 11:00 a.m. graveside interment service with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church ?Together We Rebuild? fund, 1610 Russell Avenue, Jefferson City, TN 37760. Arrangements by Farrar Funeral Home in Jefferson City, TN (865) 475-3892