Officer Down Memorial Page

Your heroism and service is honored today, the 98th anniversary of your death. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer murdered in the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.

Rest In Peace.

Phyllis Loya

Phyllis Loya
mother of fallen officer Larry Lasater
February 18, 2010

thank you officer barker for your duty and ultimate sacrifice to the citizens of owensboro. ive been a opd officer for 23 yrs. and to the family of officer barker im sorry for ur loss. im trying to set up a shrine for all the opd officers who died on duty there is about 7 right now. if any family see this contact me at opd 270-687-8888 ask for officer bruce burns and leave a no. where you can be reached. thank you and may god bless each and every one of you.

patroman bruce burns
owensboro police dept
November 4, 2009

I am proud that my uncle listed your deserving photo and obit. Less that we all forget as time passes, that you
died serving your community. May we never forget.

Sharon Brown Woodcock
Great Great Granddaughter
December 10, 2008

In memory of Nathaniel Harrison Lee Barker.
The picture of you in your uniform which belonged to your daughter, Willie, hangs in my home as a cherished remembrance to you.

You have a great, great, great grandson named Nathaniel after you.

I am sharing your obituary.
Obituary:(Source: "Owensboro, KY, The Messenger 2/15/1912," 2/15/1912.)

Lee Barker Dies Discharging Duty.
Stricken With Heart Failure While Seeking Burglars
Men Had Entered and Robbed Read’s Grocery,
Had Made Faithful Officer.
Was Sixty-Two Years Old—Survived By Wife, Six Daughters and Three Sons

Officer Lee Barker dropped dead of heart failure, about midnight last night, at the corner of Seventh and Triplett Streets, at the time he was endeavoring to apprehend two men who had broken into Read’s Grocery and were stealing a part of the stock. At the time that the officer was stricken, he was standing at the window through which the house-breakers had gained entrance to the store. Officer Barker had left his fellow-officer Gibson at the corner of Second and Triplett Streets, stating that he was going out to Zims’ store and as he passed the Read store, it is supposed that he was attracted by the sound made by the house-breakers. He summoned Joe Clements and Roscoe Kennady, who were passing, and asked them to assist him in effecting the capture of the burglars. Kennady, in a statement to the police early this morning, said that he was standing beside Mr. Barker, at the side window to the store, when there was a terrific crash of breaking glass at the front of the store. He said that the officer started to turn in that direction, but that he toppled over against the side of the store and then fell to the pavement. Several bananas, a lot of tobacco and two boxes of candy were found on the sidewalk. Dr. F. A. Miller, returning from the hospital chanced upon the prostrate man, and after a hurried examination, pronounced him dead. It was at first thought that the officer was a victim of the persons he had sought to arrest, but a critical examination failed to show any wound of any sort on him and his death was pronounced as due to heart failure. The dead man was taken to his home at No. 718 East Ninth Street. He was sixty-two years of age and is survived by his wife and nine children. They are Mrs. Aurella Cooper of Gatewood, Mrs. William Feister, Mrs. Florence Jackson, and Mrs. Clyde Brown, and Misses Ida and Ada Barker, all of this city; Messrs. Lonnie, Marion, and John Barker, all of this city. He is also survived by a brother and two sisters. Mr. Barker has made an efficient officer during the two years he had served and was regarded with the utmost confidence by all who knew him. He was a member of the Methodist Church.

Robert L. Brown, Jr.
Great-Grandson
September 26, 2008

YOU ARE REMEMBERED TODAY AND THANK YOU SIR FOR YOUR SERVICE

VANDENBERGHE
MANCHESTER, NH
January 14, 2008

PATROLMAN BARKER YOUR NOT FOR GOTTON.

GILBERT DANIEL
September 7, 2005