Stephen Barker

Stephen Barker, 34, of Morganton passed away unexpectedly on Friday, January 18, 2013 due to an automobile accident. Born in Burke County, NC on November 17, 1978, he was the son of Cynthia Lynn Carter Whisnant and the late Teddy Ermal Barker. Stephen was a member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church and was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He graduated from Freedom High School in 1997 and was very active in baseball, especially as a Little League umpire.Stephen is survived by his mother, Lynn Barker Whisnant and her husband, Tommy, of Morganton; a daughter, Bailey Coleman of Granite Falls, NC; his maternal grandparents, Alex and Raydell Carter of State Road, NC; sisters, Beth Brown and her husband, William, of Lenoir, NC and Leeann Hammon of Burnsville, NC; and nephews and nieces, Sierra, Matthew, Gage, and Devon.The funeral will be held at 3:30 p.m., Sunday, January 20, 2013 at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church with the Rev. Francis King and Dr. Dewey Thomas officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military honors provided by the N.C. National Guard and the Caldwell County Veterans Honor Guard. The family will receive friends at the church from 2:00 until 3:30 prior to the service.Memorial contributions may be made to Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1159, Morganton, NC 28680.Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.