Willie Hillary Barker

Willie H. (Rusty) Barker passed away at the age of seventy on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 in Franklin, NC.  He was a native of the Ponchatoula/Springfield area in Louisiana.  He loved the North Carolina Mountains and the swamps of Louisiana.  He enjoyed hiking, woodworking and spending time with his grandchildren.

Rusty was the manager of Ross and Wallace Paper Products Company in Hammond, LA for fifteen years.  He owned and operated Otto General Store in North Carolina for six years.

In his younger years he was a farmer in Ponchatoula, LA.  He also was a realtor in Louisiana as well as North Carolina.

Rusty was a proud United States Army veteran, spending most of his tour of duty in Alaska.

He is survived by his wife of forty-five years, Brenda Hutchinson Barker; a daughter, Kristi Barker Cotter of Franklin, NC; grandchildren, Westley, Noel, and Oliver Cotter, all of Franklin, NC; two sisters, Joyce Barker Warren (Hardy) and Peggy Barker Hutchinson (Ronnie); and a brother, Marshall Barker.

Visitation will be from 6:00 until 8:00 pm on Monday, October 17, 2016 at McKneely and Son Funeral Home in Ponchatoula, LA.  A funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 in the funeral home chapel in Ponchatoula and interment will follow in Carter Cemetery in Springfield, LA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice House Foundation of WNC, Inc., PO Box 815, Franklin, NC  28744 or to Blue Ridge on the Mountain Nursing Home, 417 Cloverdale Road, Sylva, NC  28779.

Bryant-Grant Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Barker family.  Online condolences are available at bryantgrantfuneralhome.com.