"Absolute best, no other way to put it": Wife remembers fallen firefighter

SUN PRAIRIE (CBS 58) – Abby Barr is still coming to terms with the loss of her husband.

Cory Barr was killed in a gas explosion in Sun Prairie on Tuesday.

Cory was one of several firefighters responding to the gas leak when the explosion happened.

Abby says Cory loved being a firefighter, and joined as soon as he could at age 18.

“I still don’t know if I feel like it’s real,” said Abby.

Abby remembers her husband as an amazing husband, father and friend.  “The absolute best, there is no other way to put it,” said Abby, “he put others before him, whether it be at home or at the fire department or at the bar, just amazing.”

Fellow firefighters spent Wednesday at the Barr home. “There is a bond in the fire service that is like no other, they are truly a family,” said Abby.

She remembers just how much he loved being in the Sun Prairie Fire Department.  “Almost too much,” laughed Abby, “he always knew he wanted to be part of the fire department, and I couldn’t be more proud of him for it.”

He also loved working at the business they owned together, the Barr House Tavern in Sun Prairie.  “His business was a dream come true, it was something we talked about all in our dating days,” said Abby, “I thought it was silly banter but I guess he wanted it to be a reality.”

The Sun Prairie community says they’ll remember him forever.

“His legacy as I said before is going to live with our Sun Prairie kids and adults and elderly for as long as time goes on,” said Makayla Keenan, who was one of hundreds of people to line the procession route Wednesday night.

Abby hopes they remember him in a special way.

“As the best husband and father to my daughters that a girl could ask for and just as an absolutely amazing firefighter that put so many others before himself,” she said.

According to the Wisconsin State Firefighter's Memorial, a funeral for Barr is being planned for Saturday, July 14 at 11:00 a.m. at Sun Prairie High School. 

There is a GoFundMe page set up for the Barr family.