Arthur Lyle Barker
1926-Feb. 23, 2017
Woodside, California

Art passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 23, 2017, at the age of 91. His wife, Ruth, and his children, were at his side.

Art was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Lyle M. Barker and Isabel F. Barker. He was raised in Arizona with his sisters Elizabeth (Betsy) and Rosemary. His father was the foreman of a copper mine in Clarkdale, and later the manager of a copper mine in Ajo, Arizona. His mother was a schoolteacher and principal. Growing up, Art's free time was spent playing baseball and football, earning his Eagle Scout, and riding free range burros through town with his friends.

He graduated from Stanford University with a BA and an MBA. He also attended Cal Tech as part of the Navy V-12 program.

This led to a successful career as an engineer in the utilities industry, with Coast Counties Gas & Electric and with Pacific Gas & Electric. At the PG&E office in San Francisco (25,000 employees), he was assigned to a three-man team that explored the feasibility of PG&E's first room-sized IBM main frame computer. They concluded it was feasible and then convinced administration to purchase the computer. Art and his team led the implementation of the IBM, which included changing the billing of all PG&E customers from paper to computerized files. They were also responsible to hire and train staff, as there were no employees at that time with computer skills.

Later, Art was responsible to acquire and implement 10,000 PCs for PG&E Bay Area offices. He retired in 1981 after working more than forty years.

While working on his master's degree at Stanford, he caught the sparkle in Ruth's eyes, and married his sweetheart in 1950. In 1959, they began building their house in Woodside where they raised their three children.

Summers were most often spent at the family cabin at Huntington Lake. Art, along with family, friends, and dogs enjoyed time in the mountains backpacking, boating, fishing, and hiking.

Winters brought downhill and cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling 3 miles to get to the cabin. With Ruth's relatives owning three neighboring cabins, there were many happy gatherings of family and friends.

Art oversaw the major reconstruction of their cabin in the barn-raising style with all family members' talents put to use. At home he immersed himself in golf, tennis, and community theater.

He, Ruth, and close friends traveled all around the world on many Elderhostel trips, Island bareboat sailed, and later visited almost every state in the U.S. and Mexico in their travel trailer.

He had a core of very special friends with whom he bonded and enjoyed good times regularly. He was in the "Quackateers" barbershop singing group.

When his children were young, Art was active in community leadership including eight years on the Woodside School Board and was a Boy Scout leader. He served on the Huntington Lake Tract Board. In 1996, he was one of the four founding members of the Rotary Club of Woodside/Portola Valley and served 21 years as their treasurer.

Art is remembered as one of the kindest, friendliest, most positive, and upbeat men. His honesty, integrity, and respect for others proved a role model for those who worked with him and certainly for his children, grandkids, and extended family members. He had a knack for encouraging others, and everyone enjoyed his dry sense of humor.

Art is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ruth Allen Barker, and his children: Peggy Barker of Santa Cruz, Neill (wife Pam) of Napa, Kathy Barker Hayes (husband Ken) of Emerald Hills; his sister Betsy Doyle of Los Gatos; his brother-in-law Wyatt Allen (wife Alisanne); and many well-loved grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. We feel so fortunate to have had him in our lives for so many years. He will be dearly missed but his memories will be always with us.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be pleased if donations are made to the Woodside/Portola Valley Rotary Club Foundation, 130 Springdale Way, Emerald Hills, CA 94062 or The Century Club of California, 1355 Franklin St, San Francisco, CA 94109.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 25, at 2:00 pm at the Woodside Village Church, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside.