Delores Barker
Delores Pillard Barker died May 17, 2022, surrounded by her children. Delores was born at the family home in Paoli on June 7, 1934. She joined six brothers and two sisters.
She attended elementary school in Paoli, played summer softball and moved to Holyoke to live with her brother and sister-in-law, Merle and Imogene, to attend Phillips County High School. She graduated with the Class of 1952 and was a member of National Honor Society and Thespians, worked on the school yearbook and had a job at J.C. Penney.
On Sept. 26, 1952, at the Holyoke Methodist Church, she married Bobby Barker, and they moved to Costa Mesa, California, where Bob was stationed in the Marines. She continued to work at Penney’s until Roger was born in 1953. When Bob was discharged, they purchased the family farm north of Wray and moved back to Colorado. Rhonda joined them in 1956, Rick in 1959 and Scott in 1966.
Delores was devoted to her family and made her house into a home. She was a great cook, seamstress, beautician, decorator, designer, gardener and so much more. In 1973, they sold the family farm and moved to town.
She began working at the Wray Community District Hospital in 1975. She was the director of human resources, personnel, purchasing, accounting and payroll. If something needed done, she would take it on. She retired in 2005 after working 30 years. At the age of 70, she began piano lessons because she always wanted to learn how to play the piano.
She spent hours on bleachers supporting her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, watching sporting events and anything else they were involved in. She designed flowers for several of her granddaughters’ weddings.
She grew great tomatoes, which she enjoyed sharing with her family. She loved tending her flower garden, keeping up with family and friends on Facebook, playing bridge, and making jewelry and flower arrangements.
Preceding her in death were her husband of 68 years, Bob; parents, Paul and Bessie Pillard; sisters, Virginia Pillard and Eva and Don Callon; brothers, Ray Pillard, Sterling and Gwen Pillard, Merle and Imogene Pillard, Norval and Joann Pillard, Delton and Ruth Pillard, and Clair and Ruth Pillard; and in-laws, William and Mrytle Barker, Hubert Barker, Carl and Lila Rears, Isabell and Lee Sheridan, Billy Barker and Maxine Barker.
She is survived by her children, Roger Barker of Monument, Rhonda and Jack Soehner, Rick and Karen Barker of Texarkana, Arkansas, and Scott and Jana Barker of Loveland; grandchildren, Graham Barker, Erik Barker, Dawn and Luis Ramos, Dana and Frank Miller, Laura and Brandon Schoenthal, Jackie and Chris Edney, Jena and Matt Hendrix, Kristin Barker, Brett and Margaret Barker, Kaley Barker and Braden Barker; 14 great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Louise Barker of Yuma.
Services will be held Tuesday, May 31, at 10 a.m., at the Wray United Methodist Church, with interment at Grandview Cemetery in Wray. Memorials can be made to the Wray Community District Hospital.
Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home in Wray is in charge of arrangements.