Joan H Barra

Joan Barra McPhillips, born on January 8, 1936, in Freehold, New Jersey, passed away peacefully in the presence of her family on February 22, 2026 at the age of 90. Joan was a warm, generous, and selfless matriarch of a large and loving extended family.

Joan graduated from St. Peter’s High School in New Brunswick, New Jersey where she met her husband, Louis Barra. His smooth first words of “Hey girl do you have a pencil?” led to four sons, and a marriage of almost 37 years which lasted until his death on March 6, 1992.

Louis Barra was an FBI agent originally stationed in Birmingham, Alabama, which allowed Joan to witness the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement. Since they moved from New Jersey, this also required Joan to comfort her two oldest sons, Louis Barra and Rick Barra, when they complained that the neighborhood kids always made them be the Yankees in their games of Yankees versus Rebels.

After Lou’s transfer to Evansville, Indiana, Joan and Lou had two more sons, Robert Barra and Thomas Barra, before finally moving back to New Jersey in 1965. During this time, Joan worked at Sears in retail (meaning all four boys spent most of their school days in Toughskin jeans) and as an executive assistant to the Piscataway Township Fire Chief. Following a promotion for Lou, the family moved to Springfield, Virginia and ultimately to Pompano Beach, Florida in 1984.

In Florida, Joan fell in love with a fellow lover of the Jersey Shore (and another FBI agent from New Jersey), James P. McPhillips and they married on April 18, 1998. Joan and James made the most of their second chances, enjoying their lives in Florida, return trips to the Shore, and traveling extensively including trips to Europe and Aruba, with her favorite trip being a cruise to Alaska.

Joan was an only child until she was sixteen years old when her sister, Betty Jane Heiser Zedonek was born. Joan’s father was not an athletic supporter so her knowledge of sports was limited to cheering for Lou at his high school football games and following her sons football, baseball and basketball careers in high school (and college for Lou, Bob and Tom). Despite the extensive exposure, her knowledge of the games and rules remained quite limited, often telling people that her son Rick was on the “punt off” team in football. Despite all that, she never missed a game, took them to every imaginable practice from Pop Warner and Little League through High School, acted as team mother, and proudly wore their jerseys at the Parents’ Day games.

Joan is survived by: her husband, James P. McPhillips; her four sons Louis David Barra (Linda Barra); Rick Barra (Donna DeMarco); Robert Barra (Lynn Barra); and Thomas Barra (Kerryn Barra); her bonus stepchildren, Lauren Kelly (Stephen Kelly) and Matthew McPhillips (Bridget McPhillips); her grandchildren Allison Nicholson (Matthew Nicholson), Nicholas Barra (Jennifer Barra), Christopher Barra (Kelly Kennedy Barra), Kimberly Chute (Chad Chute),

Derek Barra, Amy Barra (Jorge Olan), Lisa Barra, Michelle Barra, and Brian Barra; her bonus step-grandchildren Declan McPhillips, Kellen McPhillips, Kegan McPhillips, Benjamin Kelly, Brendan Kelly, and Kieran Kelly; and five great-grandchildren, Audrey Nicholson, Sarah Nicholson, Avery Barra, Owen Barra, and Beckett Barra. Joan was predeceased by her husband, Louis Barra; her sister, Betty Jane Heiser Zedonek; and her parents, Asher B. Heiser and Margaret Ellen Heiser.

A church service will be held at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church located at 731 North Ocean Boulevard, Pompano Beach, Florida 33062 on March 12, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Immediately following the service a repast will be held at Joan’s house in Pompano Beach with directions provided at the church.