Pamela Catherine Barker, age 73, died peacefully at her home on Lake Oglethorpe surrounded by her husband, daughter, son and daughter-in-law. Pam was a loving wife, mother and successful business woman. She was born on April 10, 1949 to Lee Hendrix and Catherine (Kitty) Toole Hendrix.
She was a 1971 graduate of Miami University of Oxford, Ohio and was proud to have been part of the April 15, 1970 protest of the Vietnam War. In her early years Pam loved motorcycles, owned a Moto Guzzi and didn’t hesitate to tell you it was Italian. After graduating with a degree in psychology she moved to Athens, Georgia and joined her father at the House of 10,000 Picture Frames (now Athens Art and Frame). She bought him out in 1985 and continued a successful, 52 year career as a business woman. She married Bruce Leeds Barker on October 6, 1984 and together they raised 2 children: Robinson (Robin) Leeds Barker (1986) and Margaret (Greta) Catherine Barker (1988). When her first child was born, Pam started what was to be a 9 year maternity leave to raise her children and loved every second of it. Pam sung with the Meridian Women’s Chorus in Athens for over a decade, served two terms on the board of Prevent Child Abuse Athens, and the Lyndon House Arts Foundation. In her free time Pam loved to walk, hike, ride bicycles, gardening and especially cook. Pam was always experimenting with vegetarian and vegan recipes. Pam was also a big supporter of local organic farmers and rarely missed a Saturday farmers market. She was also an avid reader and was known to devour several books over a weekend, especially biographies.
Pam had many friends but held a special place in her heart for her oldest friends: Alice, Rick, Lynn, Mona, Fred, Julia and Norm (when he was being good). Pam was preceded in death by her mother, Catherine (Toole) Hendrix; her father, Lee Hendrix; and her sister, Phyllis (Hendrix) Ransom. She is survived by her husband, Bruce Barker; son, Robinson Barker; daughter-in-law, Andrea (Winsor) Barker; daughter, Greta Barker; soon to be son-in-law, Nick Kenney; brother, Robert Hendrix; sister-in-law, Beth Hendrix; niece, Emmy Hendrix; sister, Ellen (Hendrix) Daniel; brother-in-law, John Daniel; brother-in-law, Don Ransom; niece; Briana Ransom; nephews, Tony and Taylor Ransom and her 2 beloved pets, Cleo and Aspen. In lieu of flowers Pam would appreciate donations made to her favorite organizations the Lyndon House Arts Foundation and Brightpaths (formerly Prevent Child Abuse Athens).