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On Aug. 12, 2024, Donald Gene Barker climbed the glass stairway to heaven at the age of 94. His family was at his bedside.
Don was born March 27, 1930, to Jesse and Erla Louise (Hegwood) Barker at their home in Adams County. He was the oldest of four children. Don and his sisters Beverly, Wilma and Linda attended country school in Taylor County and Lenox High School.
On Sept. 7, 1949, Don was united in marriage to Maralyn Rose Roudybush in the Lenox Presbyterian Church. They were set to celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary just after he passed away. Don noticed Maralyn on a Saturday night as they walked around Main Street in Lenox and declared to his friends she was the one. Don always said he “pursued Maralyn until she caught him.”
They moved to Lincon, Nebraska, to stay close to Maralyn’s twin sister Kathlyn. From 1949 to 1951, Don worked at a greenhouse, sold encyclopedias, was a bus boy in a cafe, worked at the Spiegel’s store, ran an elevator and worked in a gas station. Don was fond of remembering his various jobs with comments like, “The elevator job had its ups and downs.” Don and Maralyn moved back to Lenox to farm with Maralyn’s father just before their first child was born.
Don and Maralyn raised their children Barbara Jean, Sandra Kay and Steven Dale on a farm east of Lenox. Don and Maralyn were always a team whether farming together, selling Shaklee Products, selling advertising products or running the Lenox Dry Cleaners and Laundromat (1983-1990). Don touched the lives of farmers as a salesman for Moorman’s Feed Company from 1965 to 1982. He loved talking to all his customers, staying current with all their farming needs and family news.
Don got a bus permit in 1952. He also touched the lives of generations of Lenox children driving part-time and full-time school routes and activity trips. Don retired from bus driving in December 2007 when he and Maralyn moved to Ames. Don and Maralyn enjoyed square dancing, with their children going along to watch. They bowled on men’s, women’s and mixed teams.
They started camping with the purchase of their first camper in 1980. They continued camping with their kids and grandkids and on their own for many years after moving to Ames. Don always had a fill-in puzzle book with him. They were purchased by the box full.
Don was preceded in death by his father, Jesse; mother, Erla and sisters, Beverly (Hogue), Wilma (Hayes) and Linda (White).
He is survived by the love of his life, Maralyn; daughters, Barbara Rauch and Sandy (Craig) O’Riley; son, Steve (Melanie) Barker; seven grandsons: David, Brian (Sharon) and Michael (Tiffany Orton-Bruce) Rauch, Derek (Jessica) and Kyle (Emily) O’Riley, Brad (Amy Erickson) and Nathan Barker and one granddaughter Diana O’Riley, 10 great-grandchildren, Maralyn’s sister, Kathlyn and brother-in-law, Bob Brown numerous other family members and friends.
A church service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 2, at the Methodist Church in Lenox, followed by lunch at the Methodist Church. A visitation Celebration of Life will be held from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 2, at the Lenox Community Center, followed by burial in the North Fairview Cemetery, Lenox. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be directed to the Don Barker Memorial Fund, to be established at a later date. The obituary can be found at desmoinsecremation.com.