BARKER: In Loving Memory of Wilson Fiendel Barker, May 31, 1925 - January 6, 2014, Celebration of Wilson's life was Friday January 10, 2014 2:00 pm at Wilkie United Church, Wilkie Saskatchewan. Officiate was Rev. Linda Emberley with organist Laurie Pernitsky and the eulogy was read by Tonya Barker. Honorary Casket Bearers were all those who shared in Wilson's life with active casket bearers Jack Hochbaum, Allan Love, Rob Labrecque, Dennis Houk, Bob Latimer, and Brian Hawkins with honor guard Kinsmen/K40. Reception was held at the Wilkie United Church lower hall served by United Church Woman. Tributes can be made to the Wilkie Poplar Courts Activities Fund or Heart & Stroke Foundation. Interment was at the Wilkie Cemetery Wilkie, Saskatchewan. Lovingly remembered by wife Jean and children: Doug Barker; Shirley (Gordon) Froehlich and family Eve Froehlich (Luke) Bernas, Ben (Ashley) Froehlich; Bruce (Lois Sapsford) Barker; Scott (Tonya) Barker and family - Jacob Barker, Parker Ackerman, Riley Ackerman and several nieces and nephews. Wilson is predeceased by his parents Jacob and Adelaide Barker and sister Marion (Karl) Weinberger. Wilson was born in 1925. He grew up on the farm in the Narrow Lake District and went to Narrow Lake School until the age of 15. He lived in a time where he walked a mile and a half to school or took a horse and buggy. As a kid he loved playing softball. He swam in friends & neighbours dugouts, rode horseback and snared gophers. He & his older sister Marion raised calves with the Thackeray Beef Club and went to card parties and dances. In winter they played Fox & Goose and went skating and the whole family listened to the radio in the evenings. They got their first radio in 1939. He started farming with his Dad in 1947 at the age of 22 and took over the farm himself at 24 when his father passed away. He was a grain farmer and also raised cattle for many years. In the 1940's he and his dad plowed the fields with six horses and a two furrow plow, which is a long ways from the farming equipment used today. One of his winter jobs was hauling wood with the horses from many miles away. It could be a pleasant trip as spring approached with nice weather but was not much fun when it was very cold. Wilson worked as a lineman for the Narrow Lake Telephone Company for a few years and was on the Wilkie United Church Board of Stewards for many years. He and his neighbours formed the Narrow Lake Snowplow Club in 1960 to keep the roads open. He belonged to the Wilkie Kinsmen and later the K40's. He continued to improve the farm and planted a shelterbelt of many trees to cut the relentless prairie winds. The new teacher at Fairyland School, Jean Martin from Phippen, caught his eye and in 1952 they were married in this church. As a young couple with a growing family they enjoyed square dancing with friends and camping and barbequing at the lake on weekends in July. Wilson was a morning person. He always wanted to go for a "before breakfast swim" at the lake. Visiting his sister Marion Weinberger & family in Edmonton was a frequent activity as well as touring and camping in the amazing and scenic Rocky Mountains. The first TV was purchased in 1959 and in the 1960's Don Messer and his Islanders and the Tommy Hunter Show were his favorite shows on Friday nights. He had a camera and liked to take pictures of the family, the farm and on holiday travels. His first big holiday was a farm tour to Australia & New Zealand when the price of canola hit $9.00/bushel. When Scott was in school, the three of them learned to Cross Country Ski together. This led to trips to Jasper, Alberta to ski in the mountains. Then when Scott grew older & took up downhill skiing, Wilson & Jean learned to downhill ski too. He loved to travel, so once he sold his cattle, he & Jean spent many winter holidays exploring Mexico, Jamaica, Hawaii and other tropical places. In later years they had the wonderful opportunity to visit the homeland of his & Jean's ancestors in Ireland, England & Scotland. He had always wanted to visit Europe and they were able to do that in 2001. Wilson loved the rural life and spent his entire life on the farm until 2009, when he & Jean moved to Wilkie. He spent his final few years in the Poplar Courts Home in Wilkie. He was honored to have his most recent grandson named after his father, Jacob Wilson Barker. Kirby Sarvas, Bob Clothier, Graydon Olsen, Ted Grondin and Shannon Ehry, assisted by Allen Irwin of Grondin Funeral Services Ltd. in Unity, entrusted with arrangements 306-228-4480. Our family serving your family since 1963. Thank You Jean Barker and the family of Wilson Barker would like to say a very special thank you to friends, neighbours and relatives for the phone calls, cards, food and flowers. Your support was greatly appreciated. Donations to Poplar Courts Activity Fund and the Heart & Stroke Foundation were gratefully received. We would like to express our gratitude to Minister Linda Emberley, the Pallbearers, the United Church ladies for lunch, Organist Laurie Pernitsky and the Honour Guard of the K-40's. A heartfelt Thank you to Dr. Kemp, nurses and staff of Poplar Courts Special Care Home and the Wilkie Health Centre for the wonderful care provided to Wilson the last few years. We really appreciated the kindness and guidance provided by the staff of Grondin Funeral Services of Wilkie. ___________________________________________________
