Deborah “Debbie” Jean West Barker, 72

Deborah “Debbie” Jean West Barker, age 72, died Monday, May 27, 2024, in her hometown of Oak Ridge, TN. She was born on May 22, 1952.

Debbie was preceded in death by her grandparents, Albert and Dosha (Rymer) West of Glenville, WV, and Elrath and Sallie (Dean) Taylor of Fort Deposit, AL; her parents, Karl and Jean (Taylor) West of Oak Ridge, TN; parents-in-law William Barker Sr and Kathleen (Marcum) Barker of Oak Ridge; and nephew Alan Wayne Barker of Oak Ridge.

She is survived by her husband of 50 years, William Jackson Barker, Jr; sister Cindi West; daughter Amanda Kathleen Moore (Timothy Moore) and son Steven West Barker; grandchildren Andrew Taylor Moore, Lucille Reba Barker, Bailey Elizabeth Moore, and Pearl Jean Barker; sister-in-law Linda Barker and brother-in-law Robert Burton Barker (Edith Barker); nephew Robert Burton Barker, Jr, and nieces Debbie Barker, Allison Getsi (Charles Getsi), and Sarah Harvey (Derek Harvey); as well as many extended family.

Debbie graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1970. She built a long and successful career supporting the Department of Energy in Oak Ridge. Most of those years were at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory where she worked in Laboratory Protection.

Debbie leaves behind a legacy of love for her family and friends. She will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend who loved her family and lived her life with heartfelt kindness and a generous spirit. She loved gardening, travel, baseball, Tennessee football, and a good long conversation. She was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church Oak Ridge and a friend to the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church.

Family will be receiving friends from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, with a memorial service to follow at Weatherford Mortuary.

In lieu of sending flowers, please consider donating to Cancer Support Community of East Tennessee, www.cancersupportet.org or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org