Obituary of Walter Barker

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Oct. 6 at Valley United Methodist Church in Veneta for Walter H. Barker of Eugene, who died Sept. 10 of age-related causes. He was 86.He was born Nov. 12, 1925, in Roseburg to Walter and Geneveve Golgert Barker. He married Effie Ellen Rhoads on June 30, 1946, in Eugene. She died Oct. 24, 2009. He married Grace Conway on April 6, 2011, in Veneta.He graduated from Eugene High School. He served in the 101st Airborne Division in U.S. Army during World War II. After the war, he was a heavy equipment operator for several contractors before joining the city of Eugene as a heavy equipment operator. He worked for more than 30 years for Lane County Public Works, retiring as road foreman in 1984.Survivors include his wife; two sons, Bruce of Veneta and Dale of Lynnwood, Wash.; three daughters, Phyllis Burge of Prineville, Patty Liles of Sherwood and Ellen Engholm of Elmira; 14 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. A granddaughter, Jenny Liles, a grandson, Issac Barker, and a great-grandson, Eli Barker, all died previously.Inurnment will be at 2:30 p.m., Oct. 6 at Lane Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by Musgrove’s at Lane Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home in Eugene. In lieu of flowers, remembrances to support 4-H Programs in Lane County via the Oregon 4-H Foundation.