Larry Dewayne Barker

We celebrate the life of Larry Dewayne Barker; a man grounded in his values, driven by his dreams, guided by unwavering faith, and known for his boundless generosity.

 Larry was born on September 4, 1951, in Frederick, Oklahoma, to Doyle Dewayne Barker and Viola “June” Orman Barker. Larry attended the North Deep Red Baptist Church where he was baptized in a red dirt tank near the church. His parents ensured church was a part of life every Sunday, and Larry accepted Christ as his Savior. Faith was not just something Larry practiced; it was something he carried. 

In January of 1964, Larry and his family moved to Dell City, Texas. After graduating high school in 1969, Larry attended Texas Tech. College life was short lived when he realized his talents weren’t mean for the classroom. Larry realized his natural charm and charisma allowed him to build relationships and connect with people, and to build something from nothing. 

Larry worked many jobs in his early years that took him away from home; from delivering potato chips, to harvesting crops, to selling vacuum cleaners. Larry was always learning, always moving forward, and his work ethic was always unwavering. Eventually, opportunity brought him back to Dell City where he became the manager of the Farmers Association. 

It was then that he met Janene Gurley and the two eventually married. The couple settled in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they began building their family with the joyful arrivals of Maxwell and Brandon. This is where Larry’s vision truly took root. After working hard for others selling farm equipment at Cisco Ford Tractors to brokering produce, Larry learned the business of people. With nothing more than a desk, a phone, the knowledge he gathered along the way, and sheer determination he started Barker Produce. Onions became his specialty and before long his business grew into a prosperous operation with land, loading docks, farms, and eventually ventured into pecans. He believed, “If I can do this for others, I can do it for myself.” And he did. 

Larry had a passion for the rodeo. In his younger years, he rode saddle broncs and team roped, traveling to local rodeos in Oklahoma. Out of his love for all things rodeo, Barker Bulls LLC was founded. Larry raised and trained bucking bulls. And that’s where a legend was born. Bull #124; Woopaa. Woopaa became one of the greatest bulls in history as a two-time world champion; and holder of the first, second, and third highest scores of all time. Larry was proud of this achievement and ensured that Woopaa led the life of luxury he deserved in his retirement by providing a ranch in Oklahoma with plenty of grass, room to roam, and as Larry like to say “his 23 girlfriends”. 

Upon retirement, Larry took up residence in Alto and enjoyed the quiet life in the mountains. His retirement years still brought him back to Las Cruces to check on his many businesses and mentor those running operations. Larry’s legacy isn’t just what he built; it is how he showed up for others.

 Larry was a devoted friend and family man. He had relentless passion for whatever came his way and believed that if you were going to do something you should do it right, and big. He never turned people away and was always available if you needed help, encouragement, or someone to believe in you. Larry personified the idea that “What you do for yourself dies with you when you leave this world. What you do for others’ lives on forever.” 

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother Dennis Barker. He leaves behind a loving family, including his children Maxwell and wife Jessica Barker of Oklahoma; Brandon and wife Ivory Barker of New Mexico; Shelly and husband Jimmy Martin of Texas; Andrew and wife Melanie Bushlow of New Mexico; siblings Sharon Barker-Rey of New Mexico; Randy and wife Susan Barker of Texas; and sister-in-law Renee Barker of New Mexico. Larry, also known lovingly as “Poppy” is survived by his grandchildren Hayley, Beau, Teara, Mariah, Tristan, and Ty; and great-grandchildren Aurora and Benjamin. Larry was a charismatic man known for his larger-than-life personality and for never meeting a stranger. His warm heart and strong character left a lasting impact on everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. He was well-loved by his family, business associates, and an extensive network of friends, and his presence will be deeply missed by all. Today we don’t just say goodbye, we say thank you. Thank you for your faith, vision, stories, laughter, loyalty, and most of all your love. His roots were deep, dreams were bold, and his legacy will live on in every life he touched. 

Rest easy Poppy. Your ride was one for the history books.