Charles H Barre

Mr. Charles Howard Barré died peacefully in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on November 18, 2020, at the age of 98. He was born in Mooringsport, Louisiana, on August 8, 1922, to Mr. Aubertin Hypolite Barré and Mrs. Edna Brouillette Barré. Charles was valedictorian of Mooringsport High School and attended Louisiana State University, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. Mr. Barré received a BS in Chemistry from LSU in 1943, and moved to Texas City, Texas to pursue his career in the oil refining industry. In Texas City, Mr. Barré met France Lorraine McLain, whom he married in 1945. Over the next several years Mr. and Mrs. Barré became the proud parents of two sons, Herby and John. Mr. Barré joined Plymouth Oil Company as a lab chemist in 1946, and was named Plant Manager in 1958. When Plymouth Oil was acquired by Marathon Oil Company in 1962, Mr. Barré moved to Findlay, Ohio as Manager of Special Sales at the company’s headquarters. He graduated from the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Business Administration in 1965. In 1967, Mr. Barré was promoted to Director of the Deutsche Marathon Refinery in Munich, Germany, where he and his wife lived for four years. Mr. Barré was essential in revitalizing the oil refinery and city of Burghausen, and was honored with the Bavarian Order of Merit from the Minister-President of Bavaria. Upon his return to Findlay, Charles was named the Vice President of Refining, United States, and one year later also assumed responsibility for the European refining operations. Mr. Barré served on the Marathon Oil Board of Directors and held positions in several national petroleum associations until his retirement. He also had the honor of serving as a Brigadier General on the staff of his cousin, Louisiana Governor Edwin W. Edwards, and later became a member of the Kentucky Colonels. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Barré married Mary Wisely of Findlay, Ohio in 1980. Upon his retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Barré split time between their residences in Louisville, Kentucky, and Boca Raton, Florida. They enjoyed entertaining family and friends, collecting antiques and jewelry, traveling around the world, and watching their thoroughbreds of MarBar Stables race at Churchill Downs and Gulfstream Park. In 1993 Charles and Mary relocated to Mr. Barré’s beloved Baton Rouge, where they both lived until their deaths. Mr. Barré was an avid supporter of LSU and was a member of the LSU Foundation, the LSU Alumni Association, and the LSU College of Basic Sciences steering committee. He was a substantial donor to the Andonie Sports Museum and the Lod Cook Alumni Center, where he also volunteered his time as a docent. Mr. Barré established the Charles H. Barré Endowed Professorship of Chemistry, and with his wife Mary, the Charles and Mary Barré Endowed Professorship of Music. Mr. Barré was inducted into the LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction in 1991, and in 2004, he was proudly named the LSUAA Alumnus of the Year. Mr. Barré was preceded in death by his parents, Aubertin and Edna Barré; his first wife France McLain; his sister Daphne Barré Doyle McCary; his son, Herby Charles Barré; his stepson Paul Smithson; and his beloved second wife, Mary Wiseley Barré. He is survived by his son, John Barré; his stepchildren, Doug Smithson, Jim Smithson, Mimi Mihaly (Bob), and Liz Swartz (Martin); his grandchildren, Carrie Barré-LiBaire (Chris), Amanda Barré Kogos (Phil), Emma Maki, Asa Barré, Tracelin Hampton (Chris), Michael Mihaly (Christian), Beth Couty (Nick), and Morgan Swartz; and his great-grandchildren; Austin, Aidan, Charlie, Juliette, Charlotte, Addison, Fletcher, and Sedona. Mr. Barré and his family would like to thank the Hospice of Baton Rouge and the staff at St. James Place, especially Ms. Ronda, Ms. Courtney, and Ms. Taylor, for their care of the Charles and Marry Barré over the past several years. We are also grateful for the friendships of Dr. Charlie Roberts and Dr. Jim Wharton during the final years of Mr. Barré’s life. At Mr. Barré’s request no public services will be held. Masses or donations to the Hospice of Baton Rouge in his memory are appreciated.