Melissa Eileen Barker

Melissa Eileen Barker (Herrick) | December 26, 1968 - June 23, 2024,

Melissa Eileen Barker was born on 12/26/68 to Elton Herrick and Joyce Herrick (Rawlinson) in Barrington, RI and passed away on June 23, 2023. She was survived by her husband Lou Barker III, her son Bradley Barker, her stepdaughter Bethany Miller, and her brother Bruce Herrick.

As a young girl, she had an intense love for animals that stayed with her all her life. She once convinced her parents to get her a puppy. She was so excited to introduce her cat to the puppy, but the cat climbed up the front of Melissa and down her back to escape.

Throughout her life Melissa’s love for animals was evident in her willingness to adopt every stray that crossed her door. She was incredibly loving and had an endless capacity to care for those who needed it most.

While at college, she met her husband Lou. Melissa’s first college degree was a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Technology from Roger Williams University.

Melissa and Lou married and lived in several cities before ending up in Grottoes, VA. Their strong bond held them together for 33 years! Her husband, Lou, passed away shortly after Melissa passed.

Bradley recalls Melissa reading to him in the evenings while the family cuddled together on his parents’ bed. Melissa would read chapters of the Harry Potter series while his father Lou cuddled him closely.

Melissa showed her love in many ways, including by making extraordinary birthday cakes for those she cared about. Her step daughter recalls the year that Melissa helped her make baklava for her birthday because she was obsessed with the Disney movie, Aladdin.

When Bradley was young, she was a dependable presence to care for him while his dad was away on frequent business trips. Once Bradley was older and more capable, she resumed her ambitions and furthered her education and career in a new direction. She attended Blue Ridge Community College where she earned her RMA (Registered Medical Assistant) and CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant) qualifications.

Melissa loved to be surrounded by plants and kept several gardens of decorative plants for landscaping purposes. Unfortunately, she did not have a green thumb and struggled to keep them alive for longer than a year at a time. Undeterred, she frequently replanted and replaced the items in her garden.

Melissa will be remembered for her dry wit, her unshakably calm demeanor, and her get-it-done attitude.