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Vera LaViece Barker, 95, of Benton died July 12, 2015, at Mount Ayr Health Care Center.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 20, at Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home, 205 W. Monroe St., Mount Ayr. The Rev. Terry Roberts will officiate. Burial will be in Benton Cemetery. Open visitation will be held noon to 8 p.m. Sunday with family present 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial funds have been established in her name with HCI Care Services in Mount Ayr and the Mount Ayr Senior Citizen Activity Center. Online condolences may be left at www.watsonarmstrongfh.com.
LaViece Barker, daughter of Corwin Ernest Main and Mabel Mae (Wood) Main, was born Feb. 27, 1920, on the Main family farm in Liberty Township in Ringgold County.
She attended country school through the eighth grade and graduated from Mount Ayr High School in 1938, having the honor of being the class valedictorian.
On Nov. 3, 1941, LaViece married Clarence A. Barker. They lived for a short time in Mount Ayr where they both worked. Clarence and LaViece moved to the Harry Barker farm west of Benton, where they farmed for several years and raised their family.
LaViece was a farm wife and homemaker. She helped with community activities, such as church and 4-H in Benton and Mount Ayr.
LaViece is survived by her children, Barbara (Garold) Canny, David (Carol) Barker, Karyn Stone, Dan (Jeannie) Barker, Lana (Richard) Gibson and Rita (Larry) Hunter; grandchildren, Linda (Gary) Klejch, Monica (Steve Reppertinger) Stone, Brian (Jennifer) Canny, Stephen (Shelly) Gibson, Lisa (Jon) Han, Leslie (Ramez) Salamah, Lance (Jill) Barker, Malinda (Kevin) Thomas, Stephanie (Curtis) Reinke, Heather (John) Veach, Erin (William) Sylvester, Allison Hunter, Michelle Marchesano, Michael (Kimberly) Barker and Sean (Song) Barker; 17 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; sister Juanita Shaffer; brothers, Larry (Fran) Main and Lyle (Virginia) Main; and sisters-in-law, Lucille Main and Guelda Barker.
LaViece was preceded in death is her husband; parents; sisters, Phyllis Louise, Maxine L. Kendig, Arlene Marie Kimball, Mildred H. Sobotka and Doris Mae Rule; brothers, Marvin Main and Virgil Main; grandsons, Nathan Wesley Hunter and Mark Allen Stone; son-in-law Raymond Stone; and special brother-in-law Marshall Barker.