Joshua Lee Barker

Joshua Lee Barker, 48, passed away suddenly in the very early morning hours of Friday, January 27, 2023. He is survived by his wife Jessica; children Aleksandr (Jennifer), Katherine, Charles, Fitzwilliam, Jane and Jerusha; parents Eugene and Linda; and brothers Richard (Michelle), Jonathan (Doreen), Aaron, and Jacob. He is also survived by sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins who he loved and who loved him dearly.

Josh was born in Redwood City, California, the fourth son (out of five) of Gene and Linda Barker. He had a deep love and appreciation for his wonderful parents, their love and devotion to him, and their amazing examples in his life. His brothers meant the world to him and one of his greatest desires was to have close friendships with them throughout his life. Josh loved the years he spent during his young childhood in Iowa, but was a true Northern (and definitely not Southern) California boy. Josh marveled at trees. Some of his favorite things to do included walking down to the river and through the old towns in the area and driving around to look at all the natural beauties of flora and fauna found around us. He enjoyed visiting Salinas and Monterey and exploring the tidepools at Asilomar. A lover of the familiar, he was happy to still be living in the same area he had been in since he was eight years old. As he drove with his family around town, he would regale us with stories of his youth, sharing how things had changed, what stores and movie theaters had once graced spots now taken up by other businesses or how areas now packed with malls and housing subdivisions had been empty fields back in the day. Growing up, Josh enjoyed playing sports, especially basketball and football, with his brothers and friends. Some of his favorite memories were the times he spent watching movies and eating Captain Crunch with his best friends. 

Josh was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served a mission in South Carolina. He loved the land and the people and his experiences there helped solidify the path the rest of his life would take. After returning home from his mission, Josh took art classes at American River College, worked, and had great times with family and friends. He was happy to become an uncle and loved his nieces and nephews. At the age of 28, he did something that for him was a very brave thing – he moved to Arizona to attend the Art Institute of Phoenix. On his second day in town, September 12, 2003, he met his future wife, Jessica. That status was not too far in the future though, as he and Jessica got married exactly eleven weeks later on November 28, 2003. Josh had always been an amazing person but became his whole self as a husband and father. He expressed often how happy it made him to serve his family and to have people other than himself to care for and prioritize. He enjoyed weekly date nights with Jessica and teaching his kids to draw, play sports, cook, and clean. His children all have been greatly influenced by his interests, including sharks, history, movies, comics, sports, and video games. Josh and Jessica were true partners, working together on all issues that impacted their family and encouraging each other to grow and develop in their abilities and interests. Josh was ever supportive of his wife and trusted in her ability to make the right decisions for herself and their family. His love and belief in her was transformative for Jessica and one of the greatest gifts of her life. His humor and their ability to laugh even at the most difficult times did much to sustain Josh and Jessica through life’s many challenges. Josh’s love for his wife and children were apparent to everyone who interacted with him. He was a wonderful influence, especially on the church youth with whom he was called to serve and for whom he had a great love. 

No review of Josh’s life would be complete without mentioning his great artistic ability. Born with natural talent, he worked hard to continuously develop his skills and improve on his gifts. Over the almost twenty years they were married, Jessica was amazed to see Josh’s abilities grow and his artwork become more and more beautiful. It is a blessing that he left behind so many works. The world is a more beautiful place because of his art. Before his death, he was working diligently to learn animation and planned to eventually start an animation studio, developing the many story ideas he had into short and full-length films, as well as episodic tales. Josh’s passion for improving himself was not restricted to his art. He spent many hours perfecting recipes, reading non-fiction books on a variety of topics, and attempting to learn new skills, like playing the guitar. He believed he could learn to do anything and was curious about the world around him. Josh had a simple but profound faith. He loved his Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother, and Jesus Christ. He held true to gospel principles and blessed his family with how he lived his testimony and honored his priesthood. He enjoyed attending the temple, increasing his knowledge and feeling the peace there. He relied on personal revelation to guide his life and lead his family alongside his wife. While he rarely shared his testimony publicly, he shared it often at home. He has left behind a great legacy of faith and goodness. Josh was a gentle giant of a man. We are forever better for having had him in our lives. We will miss his smile and laugh (the best in the world), his tremendous sense of humor, his quiet faith, his goodness, and his servant’s heart. 

*Funeral services for Josh will be held Saturday, February 4 at 9:30 a.m. at the San Juan LDS Stake Center, 4125 San Juan Ave, Fair Oaks, CA. A graveside service will follow immediately at Sylvan Cemetery, 7401 Auburn Blvd., Citrus Heights, CA 95610. 

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