Donald Eugene Barker Sr.

Donald Eugene Barker, Sr., passed away peacefully at home Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2020, surrounded by family.

Don and his twin sister, Dorothy, were born Sept. 16, 1935, in Atlanta, GA, to Ella R. and John T. Barker. The family, which also included two older sisters, Christine and Mary Lou, lived in Atlanta and later moved to White Plains, NY, and Bridgeport, CT. After high school, Don enlisted in the US Navy, spending much of his time in the western Pacific on the USS Hancock. Following his service, Don was privileged to work for NASA during the initial building and launching of the Saturn V rocket. During this time he became very interested in space and space  travel. However, his electronics skills took him into the US Civil Service as a career civil servant.

It was during his early career that he met his first wife Carol and had four beautiful children. The family lived in Huntsville, AL, and Biloxi, MS, until 1966 and then spent six years on Guam, returning to mainland US to live in Napa in 1972. Don spent the next twenty-one years working for Naval Electronics, housed on Mare Island in Vallejo, including many years in management, as comptroller and the last year in human resources.

Some years after he and Carol went their separate ways, Don met Lorraine. They married in June 1985 and have one son, Cameron, born in 1987. 

Following his retirement in 1993, when Cameron began first grade, Don spent some of his happiest times as elementary school treasurer and getting to know parents and teachers at West Park School. During the next twenty-seven years, he was able to indulge in favorite pastimes, such as building computers, tinkering with home audio/visual equipment and pursuing the mysteries of genealogy. 

Don is survived by his wife Lorraine and their son Cameron (Chelsie), as well as his first four children: Sharon Martinez (Joe), Don Barker Jr, (Jeanne), Karen Barker, Mike Barker (Rachel)....nieces Bonnie, Connie and Donna and nephew Tommy....grandchildren Jenna, Mindi, Andrea, Donnie, Dustin, Nic, Olivia and Beau....and great grandchildren Elizabeth, Luis, Amani, Aliyana, Axl, Ella and Charlotte. He was pre-deceased by his parents, his three sisters, niece Rhonda and grandson Shaun.

Don will be laid to rest at Tulocay Cemetery, Thursday Dec. 31, 2020 at 1 pm, with family graveside services only. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, Parkinson’s Foundation, Michael J. Fox Foundation, or to Collabria Hospice of Napa.

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