Anne Barker October 10, 2024

Anne M. Barker (Murray), 5 February 1945 – 18 June 2024
Anne M. Murray arrived in this world as the noon bells rang on February 5, 1945. She was the first-born child of Margaret Murray (Lynch) and J. Robert (Bob) Murray. She grew up in Penfield, NY, with her parents, younger siblings John and Cindy, and a succession of Boston Terrier dogs. At two years old, Anne ran away from home with her dog, Mike. They didn’t get far, but Anne’s strong and inquisitive nature continued throughout her life. Her family shared an adventurous spirit. For example, they made two cross-country road trips (with Nanny, Anne’s grandma) to explore the Southwestern United States.

As a teenager, travelling in Europe (including traversing the newly built Berlin Wall!) and working in a bakery were broadening experiences, though in different ways – one mentally and spiritually, the other rather literally. Anne excelled in school, graduating at the top of her class at Mercy High School. She attended St. Michael’s College (part of the University of Toronto) and then transferred to Nazareth College, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

Anne met Tom Barker when he visited her English class during her senior year at Mercy High School. She found the boys her age a bit boring and was intrigued by this older (21 years old) man who loved to make movies. She took the plunge and invited him to her senior ball, and the rest was history. They married in 1966, and moved to Webster, NY. Their daughter Audrey was born in 1970, and their son Greg was born in 1973. Their children brought much joy and rambunctiousness to their lives. The family spent time every summer camping in the Adirondacks and sailed across Lake Ontario to explore the Saint Lawrence River by boat. They loved the Saint Lawrence River so much that they bought two small islands near Alexandria Bay and built a cabin that they enjoyed for many years.

Anne’s career had different chapters, but all made good use of her keen intellect. In the 1960s, Anne worked at Kodak as a computer programmer. After Audrey and Greg were a bit older, she earned a Master’s degree in Applied and Mathematical Statistics at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and then worked as a statistician at Kodak in the blood analysis division. Anne was an adjunct faculty member at RIT, and she joined the faculty full time in 1986, teaching statistics in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering until she and Tom retired in 2005. Anne was a pioneer in distance learning, earning seven Telly Awards for her excellent video lectures. In addition, Anne and Tom ran a consulting firm, Synergistic Quality. Anne served as President, provided training to more than 500 companies, and wrote a custom statistical software package. Constantly seeking knowledge, Anne embarked on a doctoral program in Higher Education Thought and Policy at the University of Rochester and earned her PhD in 1998 at the age of 53. She thoroughly enjoyed the process of developing her thoughts and arguments, and wrote her dissertation on the experiences of female engineering graduates, using extensive data from RIT.

Upon retirement, Anne and Tom swapped their sailboat for a Chinook RV with kayaks on top. They explored the United States and Canada, and especially loved visiting the Southwestern US, Florida Keys, and Alaska. In addition, they travelled across the world and had adventures in many places including the South Pacific, Iceland, Antarctica, Bhutan, Botswana, and Morocco. A particularly memorable trip was when they took their then 8- and 10-year-old grandsons to Panama.

Anne had many creative pursuits. She was part of an active writing group and wrote children’s stories featuring The Dog in the Red Pajamas, travel journals, and a memoir co- written with Tom. Anne was a member of the Rochester Weaver’s Guild and created many beautiful hand-woven textiles and clothes. She also was a talented knitter. Earlier in her life, Anne created ceramics (she even had a kiln in the basement!), and explored many forms of art. For the past four years, Anne took piano lessons that included music theory and composition. She was an avid reader, always seeking a better understanding of the world.

In 2019, Anne and Tom moved from Webster to the Brickstone community in Rochester. Anne loved this community with friendly neighbors who stop by to chat on front porches, community concerts and events, and easy proximity to just about everything that Rochester has to offer. In Winter 2024, Anne and Tom enjoyed a two-week voyage on a sailing cruise ship to the Caribbean, and on June 4, they celebrated their 58 th anniversary.

Since 2018, Anne lived with Parkinson’s disease. This illness is challenging and progressive, but she found camaraderie with wonderful Parkinson’s support groups, along with her many friends and neighbors. Anne developed pneumonia and was admitted to Highland Hospital on June 12. Despite excellent care, her lung function worsened rapidly, and she died on June 18. Anne was preceded in death by her parents, Margaret Murray (Lynch) and J. Robert Murray. She is survived by her husband, Thomas B. Barker; children Audrey A. Barker Plotkin (Jeremy Barker Plotkin) and Greg T. Barker (Chuck Conlon); grandsons Jesse R. Barker Plotkin and Timothy G. Barker Plotkin; brother John Murray (Debbie Murray) and sister Cindy Meagher (Peter Meagher).

A memorial service is planned for late July, at the Brickstone community in Rochester. In lieu of flowers, you are welcome to make a memorial gift to Doctors without Borders.