Jerry R. Barker, 76, of Ossian, passed away Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
Jerry was born June 25, 1947, in Fort Wayne, a son of Dwight and Helen Kuhn Barker. He was a 1965 graduate of Elmhurst High School in Fort Wayne. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968 during the Vietnam War.
For more than 40 years, he was the active owner of Barker Landscaping Inc. He was a member of the Lancaster Chapel United Methodist Church in rural Craigville. In his free time, he enjoyed playing golf, watching the Chicago Bears, and drinking a Pepsi.
Jerry will be fondly remembered as living life to the fullest and touching the lives of the people he had the opportunity of meeting. He was definitely a family man and always made them his priority.
Surviving family members include his wife, Bev Barker; a daughter, Tana (Bob) Rossi; a son, Travis (Kim) Barker; four grandchildren, Madison (Devin Minier) Rossi, Keaton Rossi, Triston Barker, and River Barker; his mother-in-law, Arnola Emerick; and two sisters, Beverly Dennison and Janet Herbst.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his father-in-law, Bob Emerick.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, at the Greenlawn Funeral Home, 6750 Covington Road in Fort Wayne, with visitation one hour prior. The funeral service will be streamed live on the funeral home’s Facebook page. Visitation will also be from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, at the funeral home.
Burial will be in the Greenlawn Memorial Park in Fort Wayne.
Memorials may be made to Lancaster Chapel United Methodist Church or Stillwater Hospice for their Veterans Program. Condolences and memories may be left online at www.greenlawnmpfh.com