1938 – 2020
Corpus Christi – Frank Edward “Ed” Barker passed away due to health complications on November 19, 2020. Ed was born on September 7, 1938 in Chattanooga, Tennessee to Frank Barker and Eleanor Carpenter Barker.
Ed was raised in Chattanooga and graduated from The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. He then attended The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, graduating in 1961 with a BA in English. He was awarded the Benwood Foundation’s full scholarship to attend the University of Cincinnati Law School. During law school, Ed served as the Associate Editor of the Law Review and authored an article on military courts that was cited with approval by the United States Supreme Court. He graduated with a J.D. Law degree in 1964.
After law school, Ed practiced law in Chattanooga before enlisting in the United States Army and served in the Judge Advocate General Corps where he earned the Army Commendation Medal. He served three years in the US Army before honorable discharge as a Captain, serving his last year at the Corpus Christi Naval Station as the Command Judge Advocate.
Upon completing his Army service, Ed began a long and successful legal career in Corpus Christi, Texas spanning more than fifty years. He was a highly regarded lawyer in Nueces County and across South Texas as well as nationally. Ed focused his practice in the fields of general and business litigation, insurance defense, medical and hospital malpractice, products liability, and military justice. Ed developed deep relationships with his colleagues and was admired for his deft in the courtroom. Among the many successful trials during his career, Ed was especially fulfilled in 2010 when he won a court victory for his clients in San Diego, Texas. Notably, the county had not awarded a jury verdict in favor of a defendant in a long time. Ed was designated an “AV” lawyer, by Martindale-Hubbell, distinguishing him as practicing his career at the highest level of excellence. He led and served on many local charitable boards through his career, but he had special devotion to his role as a member of the Board of Trustees at The Webb School.
In addition to his long legal career and charitable service, Ed devoted himself to his family and close friends. He developed close long-lasting friendships with his friends and cherished those relationships deeply. He drew people together for the special events and everyday life. He knew “being there” was most important and never missed an opportunity to celebrate events in the lives of his children and grandchildren, drawing his family close to one another as a result. He was a marvelous father and grandfather, sharing stories and offering his never-ending pride in his family.
Ed is survived by his loving wife, Rene Barker of Corpus Christi and his beloved brother, William “Muecke” Barker (Cathy) of Chattanooga. Ed is survived by his three children, Courtney Schultz (Ron) of Houston, Erin Burnam (Trip) of Dallas, and Scot Barker (Ricki) of Corpus Christi. Ed dearly loved his eight grandchildren. They include Will Schultz of Austin, Anna Schultz of Brooklyn, New York, Hayley Schultz of College Station, Cole Burnam of Dallas, Thomas Burnam of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Skylar Barker, Eleanor Barker, and Bowman Barker, all of Corpus Christi. Ed was also blessed with the friendship and support of his long-time legal assistant, Donna Lanahan and legal secretary, Rhonda Petri of Corpus Christi.
Services will be livestreamed on Memory Gardens Funeral Home Facebook on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 10:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Webb School in Bell Buckle. www.thewebbschool.com/give
