Maerene Barker
Savannah: Edna Maerene Massengill Barker, age 92, the wife of Royce Barker died at her home Sunday morning December 10, 2017 in Savannah.
Mrs. Barker was born April 21, 1925 in the Sweetlips Community of Chester County, the daughter of the late David Washington and Vera Edna Terry Massengill. Mrs. Vera Massengill died when Maerene was five months old and Maerene was raised by her second mother Mary Elizabeth Henderson Massengill. She attended school at Shady Hill near Enville and later completed Savannah Beauty School. She married Royce Barker in 1950 and they made their home in Savannah since 1954. She operated the Beauty Box as a beautician in her home for several years.
She was a faithful sponsor of the Joseph Massengill Gospel Program heard on WORM Radio in Savannah on Sunday mornings. She loved to cook and sew and enjoyed gardening in her flowers. She was an avid Bible reader, having read through the Bible many times. She would sometimes read the Bible as much as eight hours a day. She was a member of the First Assembly of God in Savannah.
She is survived by her husband Royce Barker of Savannah, three brothers; William Massengill of Ripley, TN, Troy Massengill of Selmer, and John Massengill of Memphis, three sisters; Mary Duke of Morris Chapel, Nannie Nixon of Adamsville, and Joy Grisham of Jackson. She is also survived by nieces and nephews who she called her “babies”; Judy Smith Roberts, Linda Jarnagin, Larry Grimes, Janice Strickland, Terry Ray Massengill, Thresa Petree, Tamara Patterson, Vicki Gould, Ricky David Massengill, Joseph Timothy Massengill, Stacy Massengill, Stanley Massengill, Sherry Massengill Fraley, Suzanne Massengill, Edward Duke, Danny Duke, Nathan Duke, Randy Massengill, Angela Denegri, Priscilla Corley, Joseph C. Nixon, Tracey Grisham, Vicky Broadwell, Lisa Thomas, and LeighAnn Knight, and many great nieces and nephews along with several great-great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by three brothers; Max Massengill, Paul Ray Massengill, and Joseph Massengill, two sisters; Mildred Smith and Naomi Grimes, a nephew Johnny Ray Massengill and nieces Tina Rose Massengill and Susan Barker.
Funeral services will be 3:00 PM Wednesday at Shackelford Funeral Directors in Savannah with Danny Duke and William Duke officiating. Burial will follow at Cabo Cemetery near Enville. Shackelford Funeral Directors of Henderson – Casey Chapel in charge of arrangements.
The family will receive friends at Shackelford Funeral Directors in Savannah from 3:00 pm until 8:00 PM Tuesday and Wednesday until service time.
Shackelford Funeral Directors – Casey Chapel
Henderson, Tennessee
731-989-2421