Barbara L. Muir

Barbara Lynn Muir died surrounded by her family on November 18, 2025, in Grand Forks, ND. She was born on October 8, 1945, in Joliet, IL, to Robert and Jean Hann. Barbara graduated from Magnificat High School in Ohio and attended Kent State for her undergraduate degree.

Barbara moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and worked at Lincoln High School as an English teacher. This is where she taught across the hall from the man who would become the love of her life, Vyrn Muir Jr. They were married on June 1, 1968, in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1970, they moved to Coon Rapids, MN, and made it their home for 51 years. They were blessed with three wonderful children, Mollie, Vyrn III, and Amie.

Barbara taught in Minneapolis Public Schools for 30 years. She was an English teacher and started the M.I.C.E. program at North High School. Barbara wanted to do more in education, so she earned her PhD in Education from the University of Minnesota. From there, she became a middle school principal and ended her career working in the Minneapolis District office.

In her spare time, she loved to share her gift of singing. Whether it was signing for her church, Disney songs with her kids, Christmas songs with her grandkids, or silly songs for anyone to hear. She enjoyed singing so much that she sang with the Bach Society of Minnesota and was able to sing at Orchestra Hall on several occasions. Her family enjoyed the annual Handel’s Messiah performance by the Bach Society.

When Barbara retired, she and Vyrn enjoyed traveling together. They took many road trips around the country, traveled the world via cruises, and enjoyed traveling to visit their children and grandchildren. In 2004, Barbara and Vyrn bought a home in Apache Junction, and would travel down each winter to enjoy the warmth of Arizona’s winters. Each September, Barbara would fly to Arizona while Vyrn would drive the car down.

Barbara is survived by her children, Mollie Muir, Vyrn (Trish) Muir III, and Amie (Murry) Westberg; grandchildren, Sydnie Muir, Tyler Braunhausen, Vanessa Muir, Vyrn Muir IV, Kaylie Westberg, Miley Westberg, Kaia Westberg; great-grandchildren, Oliver and Arlo Braunhausen; brothers, Robert (Kathy) Hann and James (Bonnie) Hann and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Vyrn; son, Jamie; parents Robert and Jean Hann; father and mother-in-law Vyrn and Petra Muir; brother-in-law Richard Muir and sister-in-law Nancy Merry.

A family-directed memorial service will be held in the spring.