Clayton William "Bark" Barker, age 91, of Carol Stream, IL, formerly of Dillsboro, NC, passed on to his eternal reward on Wednesday, February 10, 2016. "Bark" was born May 03, 1924, in New Goshen, IN. He was the son of the late Oscar L. Barker and Grace Mae Auman Barker. He was preceded in death by his sister, Neoma Barker Yohe, Staunton, VA, and nephew Rev. Ron Yohe, Muscatine, IA.

Bark was drafted into the United States Army Air Corps, later to become the Air Force. He served as a weatherman in the Pacific Theater. At the end of WWII on the GI Bill, in 1948 he earned a Bachelor's Degree in education from Huntington College, Huntington, IN. While at Huntington he met the love of his life, Esther Rohner of Chicago, IL and they were married. From UofM, Ann Arbor in 1949 he earned a MS in Biology. He attended UofM Biological Station, Pellston, MI.

In 1954 he attended the University of Minnesota Itasca Biological Station, Itasck, MN. From the University of Colorado, in Boulder, CO in 1961 on a National Science Foundation grant he earned a Botany degree.

Bark's teaching career spanned a total of 40 years. He taught 33 years at Wheaton Central High School in Wheaton, IL. In the summer of 1959 he began as a seasonal National Park Ranger for the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. His love for and stewardship of God's creation was contagious for all who took a walk with Bark along any stream or trail. He was a committed conservationist long before the conservationist movement became a part of the public consciousness.

In 1963, he purchased land on Piney Mountain Road in NC and started Holly Cove Campground which he ran for twenty years with his family and the Robert Day family, also of Wheaton.

He taught an additional 7 years at Morrison Academy in Taichung, Taiwan R.O.C. Upon retirement in 1989, Bark and Esther moved to Jackson County, NC. Bark was a member of Dogwood Crafters for 9 years where he became "famous" for his Hand-Turned native wood bowls. Moving back to Wheaton area settling at Windsor Park in Carol Stream, IL in 2013. Always the teacher, Bark also taught local residents the art of bowl turning.

Besides being on a team of church planters in Taiwan, Bark and Esther were instrumental in the establishment of the Alliance Bible Church of Dillsboro, NC. Bark was widely recognized by all who knew him for his humble and deep faith in his Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Esther, a son, Garry Barker (Mitzi) of Eugene, Oregon, a daughter, Gayle Woody (Phil) of Dillsboro, and a son, Gregg Barker (Renee) of Wheaton, Illinois: nine grandchildren: and seventeen great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, February 17 at 2:00 p.m. at College Church , 332 E. Seminary Avenue in Wheaton, IL. Interment will be private at a later date and will be held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery,in Elwood, IL.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to Windsor Park Benevolent Fund , 124 Windsor Park Dr., Carol Stream, IL 60188; or to SEND International , PO Box 513, Farmington, MI 48332.