George Barker recalled as mentor to countless N. Andover youth
Jun. 24—George Barker was many things, including husband, father, and friend. He was also the steward of a North Andover legacy, Barker's Farm, where generations of North Andover teens had their first jobs.
He was born in 1925 on the property that had been in his family for nine generations, and he kept the tradition alive. A lifelong North Andover resident, he passed away at the age of 97 on June 5.
Barker was married to Dorothea Seubert, his lifelong love that he met at a dance when she was 16 and he was 20. Her parents deemed her too young to date, but years later they reconnected and went on to be married for 72 years.
"Instead of diamonds and rubies, or gold and silver, my sweet Bob would bring home rocks for my garden, rocks that would live forever, just like our love," Dorothea Barker said at her husband's funeral.
George and Dorothea went on to have four daughters, each with memories of their father bringing home baby bunnies and teaching them how to pick corn and apples, according to daughter Karen.
The daughters and grandchildren also worked on the family's farm. His grandson Jimmy Keisling remembers the work fondly.
"I always enjoyed helping him with the cows," he said, "Delivering calves was very eye-opening anywhere from when I was 8 or 9, to probably 12, the miracle of life, pulling a calf out of a mother who's giving birth in agony, and grandpa saying, 'Grab a leg and pull, pull!'"
Alongside his children and grandchildren, Barker employed hundreds of local youths every year when corn was in season. "Every kid that worked on the farm said it was the best job they ever had, and they always remember it," Keisling said.
Barker's longtime friend and owner of North Andover's Smolak Farms, Michael Smolak, says Barker's work with local children is what he cherished most.
"I remember George saying, 'What I would like to be remembered for is all the hundreds of children who came through here, that I taught how to work, and employed, and mentored along the way,' and he felt very much that was his legacy," Smolak said.
Alongside his work on the farm, Barker played an active role in town government, serving as an assessor for 50 years. North Andover's Chief Assessor, William B. Mitchell, remembers the way Barker was beloved by the Board of Assessors.
"George (Grampy) Barker was the type of man you would want as a father, grandfather or just a friend. Although I took the position of Chief Assessor in April of 2020 in the midst of COVID, in my short time here it became clear how Grampy was loved and admired. There are few people who give back to their community like Grampy," he said.
Other members of the Board of Assessors like Bryan Perry recall Barker's knowledge and commitment to the town.
"I appreciated my time getting to work with and learn from George. He was a wealth of information and was a meaningful connection to the great history of North Andover," Perry said, "As a resident of North Andover, I'm appreciative for his endless contributions to making this a better place to call home,".
He was also a member of the Essex County Farm Bureau, where he served on the board of directors and is remembered for the impact of his contributions.
"He was always willing to share his skills and institutional knowledge of farming in the area. He was the kind of board member who didn't always have to speak up on every issue, but when he did, everyone listened to what George had to say," said Chris Grant, Essex County Farm Bureau President.
Above all else, Barker was a family man and a mentor.
"He was so welcoming to everyone and always wanted to chat," recalls Keisling. "So, I guess what I will miss the most are my talks with him about life, challenges, and the future of the farm."
