Ernest Barker passed peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, April 7, 2018, at the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home in Peoria. He was born on June 18, 1923, in Hancock County, KY, to Ivory and Zillie (Corley) Barker. He was preceded in death by ten siblings.
He married Maxine Jackson on April 5, 1958. He is survived by his wife; son, Gary; and daughter, Jelaine (Tom). He is also survived by 4 granddaughters, Jessica (Drew), Dominique (Adam), Brandi (Jonah) and Brittany (Mike); and 7 great-grandchildren.
Ernest served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a Bronze Star recipient. He was employed at Caterpillar, Inc. for 32 years, retiring in 1982, and also worked for Davison-Fulton Woodland Chapel for over 18 years. He was a devoted member of Dayton Avenue Baptist Church for over 40 years, where he was a Past Chairman of Ushers, and for the past 15 years he had enjoyed coffee with a special group of friends at the McDonald's on Prospect.
A funeral service will be on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 2 p.m., with visitation one hour prior to the service at Davison-Fulton Woodland Chapel in Peoria. The Rev. Joe Gardner will officiate. Burial will follow the service at Mt. Hawley Cemetery in Peoria.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Vale Church in Peoria or the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home. Words of comfort can be shared with the family at www.davison-fulton.com.
