Nancie Lynne Barker

Mother, avid gardener, teacher, nature lover, gifted musician and singer, volunteer extraordinaire, Nancie Lynne Barker was a woman of deep interests. She passed away in Morgan Hill after a long and active life and a short bout with cancer. Her love of the natural world, passion for excellence, and dedication to knowledge will be deeply missed.

She was born in Concord, California, and her formative years were divided between the Bay Area and Quincy, California. She lived her entire adult life in and around the Bay Area. Nancie is preceded in death by her parents, Paul Thomas Marsh and Roberta Mildred Brubaker, her brother Terry Thomas Marsh, her half-sister Betty Simic, and her two stepsisters Margaret Brubaker and Karen Nagel. She is survived by her daughter Cindy Barker Monges.

Nancie married Loy Lee Barker in 1962. They met as enthusiasts racing rally cars – Nancie was the driver, and Loy the navigator. He was an engineer and would plan their routes. They had one child. After 35 years of marriage, they divorced, and Nancie never remarried. Although the marriage did not survive, Nancie’s curiosity and inquisitiveness about the world around her never faltered.

Always looking to improve herself, Nancie returned to school and completed her college degree while Cindy was in school. Nancie’s career arc was as a quality manager in the semiconductor and telecommunications industry. She was a member of JEDEC (the Solid-State Technology Association) and was instrumental in shaping some of the ISO quality standards used in the telecommunications industry.

Later in life, Nancie rekindled her passion for music, becoming involved in the Gold Standard Chorus in Santa Cruz, a barbershop harmony society. She was a passionate devotee of classical music and enjoyed bluegrass and barbershop harmony. She played several different instruments.

Her love of chemistry and materials science led her to involvement in the living history program at Wilder Ranch State Park, where she was a blacksmith and loved teaching kids about California history for many years.

Nancie was an avid gardener and an amazing chef. Her vegetable gardens were diverse and prolific. She had the unusual ability to create a recipe from something that she had eaten one time! Nancie also enjoyed traveling, especially to Arizona, where her mother’s family had operated a cattle ranch. She also developed an interest in artisanal spirits and enjoyed visiting different distilleries.

In lieu of flowers, consider making a donation to the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks to contribute towards a Tribute Table that is being organized for Nancie Barker. Make sure to note in the comments section that your donation should go towards this table for Nancie. Contributions can be made via their website or mailed to the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. https://thatsmypark.app.neoncrm.com/forms/general-donation

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, August 22nd at 11 a.m. at Habing Family Funeral Home in Gilroy.