John Wayne Barker

Indianapolis - John Wayne Barker, 91, went home to be with the Lord Sunday April 24, 2022. He was born March 22, 1931 in Coffeyville, Kansas to the late Charles C. Barker and Lena M. Alterman Barker. He was the youngest of 12 siblings. He graduated from Lenapah High School in 1949. John earned his AA degree in Business and Accounting from Independence Community College in Independence, KS. He was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a National Scholastic Honor Society. Additionally, he attended Wichita State University where he furthered his education in business and accounting.

John was an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Army where he served in the 8219th A.U.FA, Topographic and Meteorological Detachment in Korea from May 1953 to August 1954. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Korean Service Medal with Bronze Star.

In the early 1950s, John worked for Boeing as well as a brass and aluminium foundry. In 1958, he went to work for the Boy Scouts of America where he served faithfully for 28 years. He retired April 1, 1986 in Des Moines, Iowa as a Scout Executive. During his time with the Boy Scouts, he served in many roles including District Executive, Program Director and Scout Executive.

John married Joan Craven on June 8, 1951 in Delaware, Oklahoma. Joan passed away on February 5, 1979 in Des Moines, Iowa. John married Virginia "Ginny" Wheeler on August 22, 1981 in Des Moines, Iowa. After John retired in 1986, he and Ginny moved to Camdenton, MO. They relocated to Fort Madison, IA in 2016. Ginny passed away on July 16, 2017.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Charles C. Barker and Lena M. Alterman Barker; wives, Joan Craven and Virginia "Ginny" Wheeler; son, George Wheeler; brothers: Clell, Charles, Hubert, Albert, Lawrence, Richard and Donald; and sisters: Mildred, Lois, Kathleen and Ruth.

John is survived by his daughters, Janna Lea Bittle and her husband, Randy Waugh of Arnold, MO; Amy Kay Wallace and her husband, Kurt of Indianapolis, IN; sons: John Charles Barker of Cloquet, MN, Jerry Lee Wheeler of St. Joseph, MO, Randy Wheeler and his wife, Kris of Omaha, Nebraska, Tom Wheeler and his wife, Julie of Talladega, AL; daughter-in-law, Linda Wheeler of Fort Madison, IA; 17 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; and many other loving family members and dear friends.

A celebration of John's life will be conducted at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Coffeyville, Kansas on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 10:00am . A committal service will follow at Nowata Memorial Cemetery in Nowata, Oklahoma.

At John's request, the only memorial he would wish for, is that loved-ones perform a "special-act-of-kindness" such as Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners, school books, backpacks, coats, shoes, etc...for someone in need. It is John's desire that his friends and family continue or begin to do this.

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