Vera Andrus Barker

Vera Valeria Andrus Barker, age 97, passed away May 15, 2013.  She was born July 14, 1915 in Ucon, ID to Robert Andrus and Lovenia Bawden Andrus.  Vera was the tenth of eleven children. On June 8, 1938 Vera and her sweetheart, Lynn Spence Barker, were married in the Salt Lake Temple.

Her grade school years were spent in Ucon, ID and she graduated as the valedictorian from Ucon High School in 1933.  She attended Ricks College, graduating with her son, Spence in 1960.  She received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University in 1967.

Vera taught summer kindergarten for ten summers.   She also taught second grade for seventeen years at Goodsell Elementary in Shelley, ID.  She served many years in the organizations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  These positions included music director, primary teacher, teacher and counselor in Young Women and Relief Society.

She and her husband, Lynn, served for eighteen months in the Indiana, Indianapolis Mission.  They also served together for twenty-one years in the Idaho Falls Temple.

Vera and Lynn were the parents of four children, Spence A. Barker (Ruth) of Idaho Falls, ID, Valeria Saunders (Dell) of Arlington, VA, Annette Olsen, (Ralph) of Orem, UT, and Dorothy Barker of Provo, UT. Their family includes 21 grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by five brothers, five sisters, a grandson, a great granddaughter, her son Spence and her husband Lynn.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at the Shelley First Ward Chapel (183 N. Park). The family will meet with friends Monday evening from 7:00 till 8:30 p.m. at Nalder Funeral Home (110 West Oak) in Shelley and Tuesday from 9:30 till 10:40 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Ucon Cemetery.