Sherry Lee Barker
September 1, 1945 - April 30, 2016
Sherry Lee Barker (nee Jensen) 70, passed away April 30th 2016 at Sandy Regional Health and Rehab in Sandy, Utah, after battling a long term illness.
Sherry was born September 1st 1945 in Provo, Utah to Bert James Jensen and Nelda Dee Jensen. At a very young age, Sherry was sitting near a bonfire that got out of control and she was left with burns over 50% of her body. The burns were so severe that she became a candidate for an experimental treatment using cadaver skin. The treatment was later approved and used to treat returning soldiers from Korea with severe Napalm burns. She was at Primary Children's Medical Center for about 3 years, returning home at the age of 6. While at Primary's, her father Bert, passed away without her ever really getting to know him. A few years later her Mother remarried LaVoy Patrick Jensen and in 1957 the family moved to Anaheim California.
Sherry attended Valley View High School in Santa Ana where she met her future husband Francis Eugene Barker. After graduating high school in 1963, she and Francis were married and later blessed with two beautiful daughters, Kimberly and Darcy. The family moved to Utah in 1978 to pursue a career opportunity. In 1984 they returned to California where they resided until Sherry's retirement in December of 2006. Following her retirement, Frank and Sherry returned to Utah.
Sherry worked in education in both Utah and California. In 1978 she started at Alta High School as a counselor and later moved into the Jordan School District offices. In 1985 she was hired at the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) where she worked until retiring in December, 2006. Sherry was determined to get her Bachelors degree and in 1999 at 44 years old she was awarded with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the University of Redlands – Whitehead.
Sherry was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where she loved to sing and involve herself in her church community. In her free time she enjoyed knitting and crocheting. She also loved genealogy, and was even called to transcribe German genealogy documents from the 1800's due to her fluency in German and Latin.
Sherry is survived by her daughters Kimberly Marwedel (Ralph) and Darcy Harris (David) as well as her Brother Kirk Jensen, Sister Karen Gillis (Neil) and Half-sister Janetta Jensen. She is also survived by her grandchildren Miranda Barker, Ashton Marwedel, Nichole Harrington (Jacob), Jessica Harris, and Josh Harris. Sherry was preceded in death by her Mother Nelda Jensen, Father Bert Jensen, Step-father LaVoy Jensen and Brother Steven Jensen.
An open house service to be held Thursday evening, May 5, 2016, from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM, at Stark's Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City, Utah.
In Loving Memory
I was truly saddened to learn of Sherry's passing. She and I worked closely together at Los Angeles County of Education for several years, and that office has never had a finer employee. She was dedicated and always went the extra mile in accomplishing whatever had to be done. My sympathies to Kim and Darcy, and all her extended family.
Max Carrigan
Yorba Linda, CA