Jan. 3, 1945 – Dec. 26, 2020 On Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, Van Barker, 75, of Natchitoches passed away with his family by his side after a long battle with cancer. Van was born Jan. 3, 1945, in Natchitoches. He was the oldest of five children born to Thomas “Tom” and Willa Vee Barker. He was preceded in death by his parents and his grandparents, Willie Hugh and Avey Nugent and William Pinkney and Daisy Barker. Van attended Northwestern Lab School, Natchitoches High School and Northwestern State College. It was at Northwestern that he met the love of his life, Linda, and they were married Jan. 30, 1965. As a music major, he was able to continue his love of the cello that began in the Natchitoches High Orchestra. He later performed with the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, as well as symphonies in Shreveport, Atlanta, Rome, and Gainesville, Ga.