Grover Barker Obituary

Hermosa Cliffs Ranch resident Grover Tillson Barker died after a six-year battle with cancer Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010, at his home. He was 71.

Mr. Barker was born to Frank T. and Mary H. Althof Barker on May 4, 1939, in Animas City, before it was annexed by Durango. After graduating from Campion Academy in Loveland, he earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Colorado State University and a master's in the subject from the University of Northern Colorado.

On June 8, 1958, he married Joy Anne Powell in Loveland.

Mr. Barker established his own certified public accounting practice in Montrose in 1964. He sold his practice in order to serve the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a business administrator in South America, particularly Peru and Uruguay, for 10 years. Upon returning to the United States in 1976, he taught accounting at Union College in Lincoln, Neb., for 15 years. During the summer, he partnered with his brother, Walt, to run their commercial hay farm in the San Luis Valley. In the spring of 1991, he fulfilled his lifelong dream of returning to the San Juan Mountains near Durango.

For 17 years, Mr. Barker enjoyed working with the CPA partners at Haley, Crom and Wilkinson during tax season, singing with the Durango Barbershoppers of the Narrow Gauge, jeeping in the San Juan Mountains, researching the history of this area, traveling to numerous places around the world and creating adventures for his son and grandsons. He loved to fly his private plane and was a pilot for 44 years.

Mr. Barker was preceded in death by his daughter Alice Anne Barker.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Joy Anne Barker, of Durango; daughter Julie Reichert of Arlington, Texas; son, Theo Barker, of Loveland; sisters Alice Downey of Montrose and Bonnie Lorenz of Greeley; three grandsons; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1775 Florida Road.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Manna Soup Kitchen, P.O. Box 1196, Durango, CO 81302.