Julia Marie Barker, 98, of Brownstown, died at 4:50 a.m., Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at her daughter’s home in rural St. Elmo.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 23, 2018 at Gieseking Funeral Home, Brownstown with Jim Dann officiating. Burial will follow at Liberty Cemetery, rural Brownstown. Visitation will be for 2 hours prior to service time. Memorials may be made to Liberty Cemetery Fund or the donor’s choice.
Marie was born on Thursday, March 11, 1920 in Beecher City to Joel Alvin and Mary Jane (Grubaugh) Stark. She married Forrest Wayne ‘Red’ Barker on July 21, 1945 at the Kaskaskia Church of the Brethren, Beecher City and he preceded her in death on March 2, 2000. She was a member of Liberty Christian Church, rural Brownstown. In addition to raising her family she worked as a nurse’s aid at Sunnydale Acres (Vandalia Rehabilitation & Health Care Center). She also operated Barker’s Store for many years.
Marie is survived by her son, Ronny Barker and his wife Becky of Tenaha, TX; daughters, Ruth Ann Stewart of Brownstown, Donna Durbin of St. Elmo, and Anita Holman of Brownstown; 13 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren and 12 great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son, Robert Barker, brothers, Otis and Billy Stark, sister Anna Durbin and sons-in-law, Dennis Durbin and Brad Holman.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.giesekingfh.com .