Ferdinand (Ferd) J Barrie

Mr. Ferdinand (Ferd) J. Barrie, age 96, Austin, TX, formerly of the Raymond/Turton communities, died on May 2, 2012 in Austin where he had been living near family members. A Liturgical Wake service will be held on Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 7PM in the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Turton with visitation held after 6PM. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 9:30 AM in the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Turton with Father Mike Kelley celebrating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The organist will be Rosemary Sanderson. Casketbearers will be Dwight & Tony Lyren, Roland & Richard Barrie, Mike Levsen & Zoltan Trizna. Ferd was born January 19, 1916 the first child of Willie J. & Mary Rose (Thiebault) Barrie on his parents' farm, eight miles east of Turton. He grew up in the Turton area where he attended country grade school and Turton High School. Ferd was in the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Black Hills from 1934 to 1939, when he joined the National Guard. In Feb 1941 he joined the US Army and went to Europe for WWII. After serving in China, Alaska, Texas and other states, he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Signal Corps Unit in 1961. He moved back to his original home where he farmed. He also started college at Northern State College (now Northern University) in Aberdeen where he graduated with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Industrial Arts, History and Education in May 1968. He then served as a guidance counselor in area schools. Ferd was first married to Elizabeth Pesall June 27, 1942. They had three children: Ferdinand Butch" Barrie Jr. of Midland TX, Jacqueline E. Barrie of Houston, TX and Kathleen B. (Zoltan) Trizna of Austin, TX who survive him. He married Helyn Hill Levsen on August 17, 1994 at Clark. They lived in Doland until l996 when they moved to Aberdeen, later living at Mother Joseph Manor until Helyn's death on October 4, 2006. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, 3rd & 4th degree; Baker American Legion Post 209 at Raymond where he held various offices including Commander, Historian and adjutant. He also was appointed to State Legion Offices as well. He was selected as District Legionnaire of the Year at the District 3 Convention in April 1988. He was a life time member of the Miles, Davis, Fortin Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Turton. Ferd and Helyn attended many of the National American Legion Conventions throughout the US as well as many other bus trips. Besides Ferd's surviving children, Helyn's children, Mike (Stacy) Levsen, Aberdeen; Laurie (Jim) Gehner, Lead; Julianne Hathaway, Green Bay, WI and their families also survive. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Joseph in 1927 and sister Mary Louise Barrie in 2002, and his stepmother, Louise (Schneider) Barrie in March 1968. Arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark. www.furnessfuneralhome.com