Obituary
No Flowers Please!
If you would like to make a donation, please make check payable to:
BOB BARKER SCHOLARSHIP FUND
and mail to:
Daytona State College
c/o Foundation
1200 W International Speedway Blvd
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
or give to Bob's daughter, Debbie, on May 11th, 11 AM at:
Grace Episcopal Church
4110 S. Ridgewood Ave
Port Orange, FL
or at the
Celebration of Life on 5/11/24 from 1 - 3p at:
Hooligan's (outdoor patio)
1725 W International Speedway Blvd
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Daytona Beach - Robert Osborne "Bob" Barker, Esq., whose life was ageless, has passed on. He was an active Adjunct Professor at Daytona State College in the Business Dept. for 12 years, where he taught Global and International Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Retailing, Sales and Quality Service Management.
He was still an Active practicing Florida Supreme Certified Court Mediator in the 7th Circuit Court (since 1995).
Born at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, he had many memorable visits to his condo in Daytona Beach Shores from 1980, moving in 1990 to Ormond/Daytona permanently from Dearborn, Michigan.
He had lived in Cleveland, Lakewood, Toledo, Maumee Findlay and Columbus, Ohio; in Detroit, Dearborn, Wyandotte, East Lansing, Okemos and Palisades Park, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Burlington/Boston, Massachusetts; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Norristown, Penn and Batavia, New York.
He graduated from Wyandotte Roosevelt High School as a successful scholar and competitive athlete. He earned degrees from Michigan State University and LaSalle University, LLB/JD, as a recognized scholar and athlete and did post-graduate course work at the University of Florida, University of Wisconsin, and Liberty University. He played Ce3nter for Michigan State and the Navy. He was a Guest Lecturer at Michigan State University, Wayne State University and the University of Michigan, Dearborn campus. Hillsdale College honored him the title of Professor Emeritus. He taught at Daytona State College for 12 years and business courses with Sun Oil Company (Sunoco), the Navy, and the City of Detroit.
He served during the Korean and Vietnam Wars in the U.S. Navy Air Reserves and in the Air Force ROTC from 1949-1958. His experience included being a "Plane Captain" in a VA Squadron (TBM Avenger). He was a Physical Training and Swimming Instructor in the Navy Boot Camp, where he also played Football and swam for the Great Lakes Navy Training Center. Then he was ordered to the Naval Air Station Oceana Master Jet Base, assigned as LT (jg) Line Personnel Officer for FARSON FIVE. He also had training in Military Intelligence and certified as a Survival At Sea Instructor with duty in Bermuda.
He retired after 20 years from the Washington D.C. business trade organization, National Association of Manufacturers, as senior executive management and as a Federal Lobbyist; directing regional offices in Southfield, Michigan and Lexington, Massachusetts; all in all, he was devoted to the NAM membership in 23 states. He also had management careers with Sunoco, Kaiser Aluminum, Bastain-Blessing, Goodyear Tire, Ford Motor Co and American Supplier Institute, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Oceanside 99 and Outrigger Resorts, S.S. Kresge and City of Detroit. He was President and CEO of his own Barker & Associates, Inc., consultant in Michigan and Florida. He was elected into the Marquis Who's Who publications since 1981, for the Midwest, South, Industry, Education, Law, America and World Editions. In 2017, he was proudly selected as a Marquis Who's Who Lifetime Achievement inductee, representing outstanding professional dedication and career longevity. A varied career of over forty years.
He had been president of five Michigan State Alumni Clubs; Chicago, Metropolitan Detroit area, Communications and Arts, Western Wayne County, and the Toledo & Findlay area clubs. For 20 years, he chaired the MSU Fan Club in the Daytona Beach area. He was a Life Member of both the MSU Alumni Association and of the Michigan State "S" Varsity Alumni Club, as having been on the MSU Swim Team as a freestyle sprinter. He was a life member MSUFPAA (Michigan State U. Football Players Alumni Association-Center). Then after graduation from MSU, he was a Spartan Scout Chairman recruiter for MSU football and swimmers for 30 years. At MSU, he served on the student government as an officer. He was also on the student newspaper and was the Social Chairman for the West Shaw dormitory. He was always a huge fan of Michigan State Spartans and the Florida Gators, earning him the nickname of "Sparty Bob" and the "Spartan Gator" and making him a supporter of the Spartan Varsity Club and the Gator Boosters.
At University of Florida he was a member of the "Spartan-Gator" and a Boaster "Fighting Gator" and also an "Orange and Blue supporter". He was an avid fan of Florida sports; football, baseball, ladies volleyball and softball.
he took course work in U.F. Public Relations to develop and implement a Public Relations course that he taught at Daytona State College as a college credit course. He graduated from "Back to College" at the University of Florida and was a University of Florida representative of G4HE (Gators 4 Higher Education). His loyalty as a "Spartan Gator Forever" is etched in stone at the Emerson Alumni Building. He served on the Gator Club Board as VP-Academics and served 18 years in Daytona Beach. GO GATORS! Club.
He was Team Selection for Florida Citrus Sports, Citrus Bowl in Orlando on New Year's Day, scouting the Big Ten and SEC football conferences. He would scout at least one MSU game and one SEC game most years from 1995~
He was a volunteer exemplary, as President of several clubs. He was the longtime President of over 2000 Senior Friends members of Volusia and Flagler counties, Florida Hospital-Ormond Memorial. He was President of a Rotary Club in Detroit and Southfield. He was President of the Ormond Shrine Club; President, Shrine Public Relations Unit and active in Shrine Circus, Provost and Veterans units; President of the Dearborn Shrine Club. He was President of the PTSA for Dearborn H.S. and Adams Jr, H.S., President of the Dearborn Youth Association, President of Young Republicans and President of the Advent Health Daytona Beach Hospital Auxiliary.
As a Volunteer Emeritus, he served on many professional groups and boards; Chairmen Personnel Board of Daytona Beach; PR Chapter of Volusia County; Florida Certified Volusia County Private & Court Mediator; CAM Real Estate and other organizations; as a VP, Council and Commissioner, Board Director, Advisor Council and Committee member and an Episcopalian Lay Minister for 30 years; and on the following: American Cancer Society (a cancer survivor), American Heart Association (a 5 bypass heart disease survivor), Council on Aging, Chambers of Commerce (Beautification, PR, Social, Government), JazzMaTazz, Volusia Republican Executive Committee, JAYCEES, Presidential Forum, City of Dearborn Police Reserves (25 years), and Dearborn City Beautiful Commissioner Emeritus (20 years). He was a Township Trustee in Findlay, a candidate for Ormond Beach Commissioner, Zone two and Dearborn for City Council.
He loved people, especially his Daytona State College students, the scholars and athletes that kept him young. He loved collegiate sports; football, swimming, baseball, basketball, women's volleyball. Also hydroplane boat and Nascar racing. He loved music; everything from classical to jazz and the blues. His favorites were "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" sang by "Muddy Harp", Mark Hodgeson and "Take the 'A' Train" by Duke Ellington. He loved his family cottage on Lake Michigan (canoeing and shooting), the trailer home at Camp Dearborn (the swimming pool and comfort stations). He loved swimming and rowing. He loved story-telling memories.
He loved the friends and students at Daytona State College and of being a "facilitator". As he always said to his students, "You will get a 'slice of life' out of my courses. By the examples of real life experiences, we will end up learning about life, which can end up being cherished". He said he learned too, and was rewarded by what we are, about life, and how if we gave, we would receive back twofold. The students loved him and he had a reputation of having "fun" in his classes. His students learned that the goal was to be able to think better by having a good attitude in order to attain skills of responsibility, such as problem solving, and resulting in getting along better in your culture. So to his former students, he gives thanks to them as they gave him life and an endless fountain of youth and joy to his life!
His motto to living was "Stay Active!"
It's been a great life. To all along the way, "See you again down the road someday!"
Arrangements are under the caring and careful attention of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond, 733 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, FL 32174, 386-673-1100.