Barker, Charles 2012
Image by Northridge History
A man of many talents and a valued career teacher, Charles Barker was born in Lexington, KY, in the year 1922 and graduated from Henry Clay High School in 1940. In his early days he took trumpet lessons and performed in both the Clay High School band and the University of Kentucky marching band. His college days were interrupted by a three-year stint in the Army Air Corps in 1942, where he trained and served as an intelligence specialist. Charles remained active in the Air Force reserves for twenty-one years at WPAFB as an education and training officer; he retired from reserve service in 1974 with distinguished honors.
Graduating from UK in 1949, Charles began his teaching career in Irvington, KY. It was in the fall of 1956 that he joined the faculty of Northridge and for many years served his students in various business classes. During his tenure Charles also taught journalism and advised both the Bear Facts newspaper and the Polaris yearbook staff. His experience and skills enabled both publications to receive both local and state recognition, and he received the Journalism Fellowship Award in 1963. Charles retired from teaching in 1982.
Through his retirement Charles has been a strong advocate for volunteerism through his many years of service with the Northridge Kiwanis Club programs. He also volunteers his time to Wegerzyn Garden center; he gives his time freely to participate in his church projects, where he has also been a deacon and played in the church brass ensemble.
Charles met Margaret Oatts in the Calvary Baptist Church in Lexington in 1946. Three years later they married there and have been together for over sixty years. Their family included two daughters, Priscilla and Phyllis. Priscilla has excelled as an attorney for many years, while Phyllis has provided many years of service as a production graphics artist at Monarch Marking/Avery Dennison.
Advisor, teacher, musician, church deacon, Kiwanian, SERRV volunteer, military intelligence specialist–Charles Barker has given both effort and time to assist and support others. Today he continues to walk this same path every step of the way.