Mac 65's Valedictorian Barb Dyar Passes Away

MacArthur High School Class of 1965's Valedictorian has died.

Barbara Dyar (married name Fox), who worked as a teacher in Mesa, Arizona, in her pre-retirement years, passed away in Phoenix, on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

On August 12th, Barb posted on Facebook that "Matt took me to Banner Baywood Hospital because I couldn't breathe. I was admitted for four days. They gave me some tests and diagnosed a paralyzed left diaphragm. (What?) There is no treatment. (What?) The richest and most militarized country in the world has no cure. I made it home late Thursday night, along with three oxygen tanks, which I needed to use just once so far. We got a Social Security check today -- I never thought one could look so good. Hold on to your medical insurance, folks!"

That was the last public message from Barb.

Besides being Mac 65's Valedictorian, Dyar was voted "Most Likely To Succeed Girl."

Barbara Diane Dyar was noted as being involved with Cadet Band 1; Concert Band 2, 3, 4, Secretary 3, 4; Girls Glee Club 1; Girls Choir 2; A Choir 2; A.F. S. Club 1, 2, 3, 4, Secretary 3, President 4; Orchestra 2, 3, 4; Senior Class Play; National Honor Society 3, 4.

For the reunion, Barb wrote in that her first car was a 1970 yellow Opel.

Fox, Barbara Dyar
66, of Mesa passed away on September 4, 2013. Valedictorian of her high school class at MacArthur High School in Decatur, Illinois in 1965, she then was an exchange student in Paris, France. After her year in France, she attended Eureka College in Illinois, graduating in 1970. Barbara was an outstanding teacher for 30 years in the Mesa Schools and chair of the Fremont Junior High Reading Department when she retired. Barbara is survived by Steve Fox, her loving husband of 32 years, her sons Michael Julian Perkins (Meghan Steptoe) and Matthew Fox, brother Gene Dyar, sister Jodie Dyar Rohrer, (David), and nephews Alex & Daniel (Becky) Rohrer & Lucien Dyar Smith (Jennifer). She was predeceased by her parents John & Betty Dyar & her sister Treva Dyar Smith. Funeral Services will be [given at] Angels Cremation and Burial, 422 W. McLellan Rd, Mesa [Arizona] on Monday. September 9 [2013] at 2:00 [p.m.]. Published in The Arizona Republic on September 8, 2013. (Thanks to Gary Blackburn for forwarding the newspaper obituary.)