Obituary of John M. Barker

John M. Barker Jr. Lt. Col. U.S.A.F. (ret.) 65 Year resident of Santa Cruz County A private graveside ceremony will be held in Santa Cruz for John Barker Jr. who passed away peacefully on November 17, 2014 in Santa Cruz at the age of 94. Born in Halfway, Michigan, he served his country in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years. He started his military career in WWII as a B-17 co-pilot with the 95th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force in England. He flew 33 missions over Europe and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He ended his career 22 years later with the Strategic Air Command Missile Group and retired as a Lt. Colonel. His last conflict was as a guidance officer of an Atlas ICBM during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October, 1962. He followed his parents to Santa Cruz in the 1940's and built a home in the Twin Lakes area which is still in the family. He moved to Rio Del Mar in the 60's and was an avid golfer into his 80's. He was a member of Seascape Men's Golf Club. Throughout his military career he maintained Santa Cruz County as his permanent home. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law John and Kathleen Barker III, of Corralitos, and Thomas and Karen Barker of New Hampshire; his brother, Richard Barker of Oregon; and sister, Marjorie Dietrich of Florida. He also leaves his grandson and granddaughter, three great grandsons, two step granddaughters, a step grandson, and two step great granddaughters. He will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Mausoleum in Santa Cruz, beside his wife Joan Barker who preceded him in death in 1987.