Grant was born in Steilacoom Washington to Charles and Isabel Barker. He had three sisters, Della, Doris, and Bernadine. He graduated from Lincoln High School, and joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, the CCCs, and built trails on Mount Rainier. In WWII he joined the army, became a Photo Reconnaissance Officer in the Army Air Corps, and spent part of his military duty stationed in Japan. He used his GI Bill to attend College of Puget Sound.
After graduation he went to work at Boeing as a graphics designer. He married his wife of almost 60 years, Pat, and they had two girls, Megan Boland and Gail Barker. Megan is married to Mike Boland. They live in Ephrata, and have two girls, Brianna and Erin. Gail is married to Frank Leeds, in Seattle, and they have a son and a daughter, Katie and Conor.
Their daughters were in a Drum and Bugle Corps, and in 
summers, Grant drove the equipment truck from Pendleton to Calgary, and all points in between.
He was active in the boating community as a member of Yarrow Bay Yacht Club. With friends, Sandy and Alyce Sanborn, their entries in the Opening Day of the Boating Season Boat Parade, in their class, took first place two years in a row. He was a Past Commander of the Bellevue Power Squadron, and a Full Certificate Owner.
He retired from Boeing in 1982. He and Pat took many trips, and enjoyed several Elder-Hostels.
Grant was a superb model ship builder. His boats have taken plaques and trophies. Some of his boat models are in the Tacoma Foss Waterway Museum. His work is also at the Seattle History Museum on three huge model ships.
Grant was a nice man, a good husband father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
He was a class act. He is missed
A printable version of Grant’s memorial in PDF format can be found here: Grant O Barker Memorial