Harold E. "Bud" Barker

Harold E. (Bud) Barker, 86, of Long View Drive, Warwick, passed away Thursday, the 5th of November. Bud was married to his wife RoseMarie (Weeden) Barker for 62 years. He was the son of the late Harold H. and Elizabeth (Adams) Barker. Besides his wife, Bud is survived by his five children: Susan (Barker) Forrester and Martin Kelly of Reading, MA; Cheryl A. (Barker) Gaylord of Norfolk, VA; Keith L. Barker and his wife, Debbie of Winchester, VA; Robert E. Barker and his wife, Kimberly of Haymarket, VA; and Rosemary E. (Barker) Durand of Warwick. He leaves sixteen grandchildren and seventeen greatgrandchildren.

Apparently headed for a newspaper career early in life, Bud went to work for the Wickford Standard while still attending North Kingstown High School. While learning the tools of the printing trade, Bud was made sports editor during his senior year. He then joined the U.S. Army Security Agency at the outset of the Korean War.

Upon honorable discharge from the Army, Bud married RoseMarie in 1958 and returned to the newspaper business. He held positions at the Westerly Sun and Pawtuxet Valley Dailey Times before landing a job at the pinnacle press for printers in those days: The Providence Journal. In the mid-70s, automation eroded the printing trades and several compositors, to include Bud, were offered writing positions with the paper. Bud covered general news and the local courts in his early days but spent the majority of his long career as a sportswriter. Life really did begin at 40, he said. In appreciation of his writing, Bud was inducted into the Words Unlimited Hall of Fame, The Rhode Island Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and several other sports-related organizations during his career.

Upon retiring from the Journal, Bud held part-time employment with Johnston and Wales University for seventeen enjoyable years at the Radisson Airport Hotel. While working part-time, Bud was able to return to another favorite interest of his: music. He played trumpet with the North Kingstown Lafayette Band; The Providence Brigade Band; The Wakefield Concert Band; and, his favorite, Retired Old Men Playing Swing (ROMPS). He also sang with the St. Rose and Clement Church choir.

He will miss the many friends he made during his time with these various organizations and groups, as well as those at the Healthtrax fitness club in Warwick. As animal lovers, adopting and rescuing retired racing greyhounds made for many happy years for RoseMarie and Bud. And although his choice of sports teams may have left him sore at times, he remained loyal to his Minnesota Twins and Washington Redskins. At least the Washington Capitals did recently win the Stanley Cup for him… Bud loved his family, and enjoyed being with his many grandchildren, though most of them were spread around the country and the world. Once a year, for many years, four of his grandsons took him to a Boston-Minnesota baseball games.

Bud was a kind, respected, steadfast, and reverent man. He left a lasting impression wherever he went and will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew him. He will be eternally loved, fondly remembered, and greatly missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday November 10 ^th at 11:00 am at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 65 Third St., East Greenwich. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Greyhound Friends, Inc. (greyhound.org).