John Junior Barker, son of John Joseph and Jennie Ballentyne Barker, was born March 4, 1922, in his Correctionville, IA home.  In 1924, at age 2, he moved with his family to Chicago, IL where he attended elementary school and where his father worked as a mason for the largest contractor in Chicago. He was baptized in the Moody Institute.  Due to the depression in 1934, the family returned to Correctionville where he graduated with the class of 1939, having a perfect 12 year school attendance record.  He started doing mason work with his father at age 14.

     In order to earn money to go to college, he and some buddies worked at Swift Packing Company in Sioux City, IA and Martin Oil Company in Davenport, IA.  In the fall of 1942 he enrolled at Wayne State College in Nebraska, but was interrupted by a greater cause to protect and defend his country in World War II.  He was drafted into the U.S. Army December 11, 1942 and left for Ft. Leavenworth, MO and after five months of basic training in Camp Sibert, AL, he was assigned to the South Pacific Theatre-immediately shipped overseas landing in Sidney, Australia.  Enroute he inquired why there were no escorts for the ship carrying 1000’s of troops and was told the ship was traveling too fast for escorts to keep up.

     There he began serving nine months in Brisbane, Australia, six months in Oro Bay, New Quinea and seven months in Manilla, Philippines, serving honorably as a chemical warfare instructor-serving 3 ½ years without a furlough.  During that time his father died on October 6, 1943.

     There was an Italian chef in his outfit who became General McArthur’s chef and who taught John to make Italian spaghetti.  He told about watching from shore the signing of the Japanese American Peace Agreement taking place on the ship offshore.  He was honorably discharged January 8, 1946, earning the rank of Sergeant.  Like so many WWII Veterans, returning from overseas, he came home, worked jobs, married, raised a family and kept war stories to themselves.  After returning home from overseas he was employed by Correctionville News as a linotype operator and assisted his brother-in-law in mason work until entering Iowa State College and later University of Iowa before enrolling and graduating with honors, June 1950 from the College of Mortuary Science in St. Louis, MO.

     On August 3, 1950, he married Jean Kettering at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA.  The couple was blessed with three children; Ann, Karl and Amy.  He worked for Wilson-Hull Funeral Home until 1951 when he and wife, Jean, bought the funeral homes in Correctionville and Holstein operating as Barker Funeral Home serving Holstein, Galva, Cushing and Correctionville communities.  He was the proprietor of Barker Monumental Sales, selling and setting monuments for 30 years.  He was proud to furnish ambulance services to the area and assisted in floral service.

     He and Jean made their home in Holstein.  Their son, Karl, joined the firm at which time they purchased the Alta Funeral Home.  John continued serving the communities until his retirement April of 1991 after 43 ½ years in funeral business-almost 50% of his life.  He was acquainted with death.  In 1993, John and Jean moved to Lake View, Jean’s hometown, where they resided and where he enjoyed viewing the lake activities from his patio chair.

     During his many years in business he was committed to community service, being active in his profession, community affairs, his church and country clubs.  He was a member of the United Methodist Church, Kiwanis Club, Masonic Lodge, two Country Clubs, Post Commander of both American Legion and American Veterans, Secretary of Chamber of Commerce, City Council, long time active member of Iowa Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors Association and served as governor of District #10 for Ida, Sac, Calhoun, Crawford, Carroll, Woodbury and Monona Counties.  He helped promote the Correctionville Nursing Home serving on the board and Holstein Country Club and was Sec/Treasurer of Holstein Cemetery Association and past Master of Mason Lodge 471.

     He enjoyed his family and was an avid golfer (golfed to age 90), bowler (bowled to age 72), avid Hawkeye fan, card player, gardener, animal lover and crossword puzzle solver.  He was known for his fudge, homemade ice cream, spaghetti and meat balls, and bean soup.

     John passed away Sunday, December 27, 2015 in Black Hawk Life Care Center in Lake View at the age of 93 years.

     He was preceded in death by his parents; father and mother-in-law Howard and Jessie Kettering; his sister Dorothy B. Anderson and husband Verlin; brother-in-law Fred Kettering; brother-in-law Gordon Rossow and wife Lois; grandson Brandon Barker; two nephews: Bill Anderson and wife Rita, and Mark Rossow.

     His survivors are his wife, Jean of Lake View; son Karl (Rhonda) of Osage Beach, MO; daughters: Ann Barker of Hollis, NH and Dr. Amy (Dr. Anthony) Piana of New Hartford, CT; six grandchildren: Ky Barker of Alta, IA, Kelsey (Aaron) Hansen of Waukee, IA, Palmer, Pierce and Sedona Piana of New Hartford, CT, and Trishia (Paul) Baylor of Ankeny, IA; sister-in-law Darla Kettering of Pueblo, CO; nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends.