Otis Monroe Barker

Otis Monroe Barker, of Groesbeck, passed away Wednesday, January 5, 2011, at Providence Hospital in Waco, after unexpected complications of open heart surgery. He was 69. Visitation will be held Friday, January 7, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M., at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, January 8, 2011, at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Johnny Layton of the Lake Limestone Baptist Church officiating. Graveside services and interment will be at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, January 10, 2011, at the Memory Gardens Cemetery (Hwy. 87) in Victoria, TX. Serving as pallbearers will be Steve Clark, Keith Anderson, Harvey Barker, Jr., Dewain Barker, Donald Barker, Ronald Barker, Kevin Barker, and Joel Johnson. Otis was born on April 1, 1941 to Preston O. Barker and Velma S. Green Barker, at Vanderbilt, TX. Otis grew up there and graduated from Industrial High School in Vanderbilt. From his early adulthood, he was an entrepreneur, owning a K&N Root Beer Stand, and Western Auto Store in Beeville. In the eighties, he was in the automobile business, owning multiple auto dealerships in Commerce and other cities in Texas. He retired from the automobile business a few years ago, but remained an active businessman, with real estate investments. During his lifetime, he was a member of many civic organizations, including the Optimists, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Kiwanis, the Naval Air Auxillary (where he worked with Scout Troops), and the Elks Club. He was also a Baptist, being baptized in the Baptist church many years ago. He had lived in the Beaumont Golden Triangle area for many years, until his move to Lake Limestone a few years ago. Otis was united in marriage with Barbara Clark on November 11, 2009 at Mexia, and they made their home together at Lake Limestone until his untimely death. Otis loved to hunt and fish and to travel with his wife. Mr. Barker was preceded in death by his parents; his previous wife, Jinnie Brown (in 1995); and although the baby of the family, he was the first of his four siblings to pass away. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Barker; two sons, Scott Barker and Bill Barker; two step-sons and their wives, Steven and Micah Clark of Groesbeck, and Keith and Danette Anderson of Beaumont; thirteen grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Henry and Jeannie Barker, Harvey and Joyce Barker, and Kenneth and Linda Barker; sister and brother-in-law, Joyce and Joe Hughes; half-sister, Alice Marie and Wendell Bickett; half-brother, Preston O. Barker, Jr.; and many nieces and nephews.