Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Barker, Elmer E. 2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net September 30, 2011, 12:02 pm Ionia Sentinel Standard, 18 Sep 2008 Elmer E. Barker, of Lansing, became part of our lives on Jan. 28, 1920, the third child born to Louis & MaryAnn (Fernholz) Barker in Westphalia, Mich. He left us on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008 at the age of 88. Elmer’s education started at a German speaking school in Westphalia, then changed to English when the family moved to Pewamo at the age of 7. Elmer graduated from Pewamo High School in 1938 as an accomplished baseball player. His fondness for baseball never wavered and listening to the Detroit Tigers was a favorite pastime. On Feb. 7, 1942, Elmer married Alice Loraine Riley of Hubbardston, Mich. Two months later he was inducted into the US Army. He served in WWII in the European Theatre. He returned home in 1945. Elmer was honored by Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2004 when she presented him with the decorations and military citations he had never received. Elmer was a master plumber and pipefitter by trade, having owned and operated Barker Plumbing and Heating for many years. Prior to that he worked for the Clinton County Road Commission and Benson Plumbing and Heating. He finished his work career as a member of the Plumber & Pipefitters Local 388 (#333), retiring in 1982. But Elmer was a jack of all trades. He built the family home in St. Johns where he lived most of his life. The family continues to enjoy the cottage he built on the St. Johns Post of the American Legion at Higgins Lake. When he retired, Elmer build a beautiful retirement home in Pewamo, that reflected his attention to detail and perfection. Elmer and Loraine enjoyed that home immensely, being near their siblings in an area they grew up. In 2000 they moved to Lansing to be closer to their children. Over the years Elmer enjoyed bowling, hunting & fishing. He sang in the St. Joseph Choir in St. Johns. He belonged to many booster clubs that supported his childrens’ activities. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus of St. Johns, the American Legion St. Johns Post and the VFW of Pewamo, Westphalia & Fowler. Elmer was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Mary Barker; brothers Ralph and Florian Barker; in-laws Helen and Dorothy Barker, John and Louise Riley, Betty Geller, Patricia Schafer, Virgil Tait, Joseph & Jack Riley. Elmer is survived by his wife of 66 years A. Loraine Barker; 7 children, Sheila (Larry) Sykora of Lansing, David (Michelle) of Lansing, Douglas (Mary Jo) of Traverse City, Karen (Andy) Anderson of Corbin, Ky., Kathryn (Michael) Stanley of Lansing, Daniel (MaryLee) of Hudsonville and Teresa Barker of San Francisco, Calif.; 22 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; brothers Jerome Barker, Robert (Kathleen) Barker, Marvin (Sandy) Barker and sister Alberta (Dick) Thelen; several brothers-and-sisters-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church with Rev. Fr. John Byers as celebrant. Rite of Committal will follow at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Pewamo. A luncheon will follow at 1:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish Ha.., Pewamo. Visitation is Thursday 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. at the Palmer Bush & Jensen Family Funeral Homes, Lansing Chapel, 520 E. Mt. Hope where the Rosary will be prayed at 7:30 p.m. Visitation continues Friday at the church at 10 a.m. Memorials can be made in honor of Elmer to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 3815 S. Cedar, Lansing, MI, 48910 or Plumber & Pipefitters Local 333 Scholarship Fund, 3101 Allied Drive, Suite B, Jackson, MI 49201. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/b/barker17082nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb