Shirley Ann Sisam Barker

1934 - 2024

Shirley Ann Sisam Barker, our beloved friend, wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother and daughter of our heavenly father, passed away May 8, at home resting peacefully, finally after a two-year struggle recovering from major surgeries at the age of 89 years. Shirley was born Dec 4, 1934, in Midvale Utah. Her parents Amil Arthur Sisam and Elesta Mae Robertson. Amil and Elesta are the parents of 12 children with Shirley being one of the middle children. They grew up mainly in the Midvale and Salt Lake City area. At the time Shirley met and married Dennis she had five sons and one daughter. The boys would stay with them for short periods of time, but they were raised mainly by their father Harold Nielson and stepmother Ruth. Their daughter Vanessa Lee was adopted by Dennis shortly after their marriage and given the Barker name, she was raised by Shirley her mother and Dennis now her adopted father. Dennis and Shirley were married on October 14, 1967, their marriage was later sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City temple on Oct. 14, 1980, on their 13th wedding anniversary. Shirley made friends easily and was loved by everyone that she encountered, especially her grandchildren. Shirley learned to love the gospel especially in her later years she spent many hours doing extraction work and loved doing genealogy research, she submitted hundreds of names for temple work, she and her husband Dennis did most of the temple work. Shirley served in a lot of different callings in the church including a proselyting mission with Dennis to the Texas Houston mission in 1994-1995. She also served as a guest service missionary at the church's conference center with Dennis for five and a half years, Shirley and Dennis served as temple ordinance workers in the original and remodeled Ogden temple for a total of five years. Shirley enjoyed walking and made the hike up Ben Lomond peak, she loved the movies and would spend many quite hours watching the oldies especially the westerns on television, Shirley was an avid reader and could go through a John Grisham novel in one day, she would always keep a clean house, soak in a hot tub she never liked to take a shower. Shirley loved visiting with family and spoiling the grandkids but her favorite thing to do was go to the Temple. Shirley and Dennis would travel to different temples, they have visited 41 of them, doing an endowment in each one.

Surviving Shirley is Dennis her husband and her and his children Michael Dee (Cheryl) Nielson, Bret Jay (Denise) Nielson, Scot Lawerence (Teri) Nielson, Jimmie Howard (Robyn) Nielson, Vanessa Lee (Brett) Jones, Christina Maria, (James) Tempel and Dennis James Barker Jr.

Preceding Shirley in death her parents and a son. Kevin Lee Nielson, Kevin passed away in a motorcycle accident. Jim Rob Nielson a grandson passed away in an automobile accident. Chad Nielson a grandson passed away in an accident. Crystal Sidwell Jones a granddaughter passed away in a home fire with her new husband Bud McDonald.

Funeral services will be held at 11 am, on Saturday May 18, 2024 at the Coldwater Stake Center, 770 E 2100 N, North Ogden Utah 84414. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 10-10:45. There will also be a viewing held Friday May 17th from 6-8 pm at the Myers Mortuary, 845 Washington Blvd, Ogden Utah 84404.

Shirley will be laid to rest in the Ben Lomond Cemetery in North Ogden Utah.

We want to thank Canyon Home Care and Hospice for their wonderful care for her as she rested for a short time at home, before peacefully deciding to leave us. This dear special lady and daughter of our heavenly father is going to be missed so much by her family and so many friends.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-mortuary.com.