Russell R. Barker, 73

Russell R. Barker, 73, of Missouri Valley, Iowa, died Monday, Aug. 28, 2000, at the Longview Care Center in Missouri Valley.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, Aug. 31, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Missouri Valley. Father Robert Harris officiated. Interment was at Frazier Cemetery in Missouri Valley.

Russell R. Barker was born Aug. 29, 1926, in the railroad depot at Percival, Iowa, to Donald Clifford and Olive (Brust) Barker.

He attended numerous schools, due to his father’s employment, but spent his high school years in Denison, Iowa. He was scheduled to graduate in 1945, but he chose to enter the U.S. Navy on Sept. 18, 1945.

While enlisted, he attended Radio Gunner School, but due to unforeseen circumstances, he missed his class. He was then assigned to the Seabees (construction battalion), and was dispatched to Okinawa, where he constructed airfields. He was honorably discharged on May 24, 1946.

His family will receive his diploma posthumously this fall from Denison High School.

He was a crane operator with Peter Kiewit Company in Thule, Greenland, and Omaha. He had previously worked with Henry Eckermann of Defiance, Iowa, before moving to Missouri Valley in 1959.

He retired from Peter Kiewit in 1988, after 27 years of employment.

He married Ruth Eckermann on July 3, 1947, in Defiance, Iowa.

Mr. Barker was a member of the V.F.W., Eagles Club, Omaha Hawks Flying Club, and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. He enjoyed flying and designing remote control airplanes and making wooden toys for his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth; sons, Robert Barker of Bakersfield, Calif., David Barker of Blair, Clifford Barker of Missouri Valley, Luke Barker of Deshler, and daughters, Marie Campbell of Harlan, Iowa, Rebecca Flint of Woodbine, Iowa, Deborah Waterhouse of Missouri Valley, Susan White of Lee’s Summit, Mo., Pollyanna Shepherd of Blair, Jennifer Moe of Mukilteo, Wash., Patricia Branstetter of Magnolia, Iowa, Lori Martin of Missouri Valley; a brother, Dan Barker of Grand Marsh, Wis., 27 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Andrew Barker, four grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and sisters, Patricia Thompkins and Donna Schwindorf.

Hennessey-Aman Funeral Home in Missouri Valley was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~