Ellen Hall Barker, age 85, of Jackson, passed away on August 15, 2023.

Ellen was born on December 10, 1937, in Poplarville, Mississippi, to Purvis Melvin Hall, Sr. and Mattie Ainsworth Hall.  She attended Bogalusa High School, graduating in 1955.  Ellen then attended William Carey College in Hattiesburg in 1956 and 1957, where she was a Crusader cheerleader her Sophomore year and secretary of the Baptist Student Union Greater Council.

Ellen met the love of her life, Charles P. Barker, Jr., at Calvary Baptist Church in Bogalusa, Louisiana, while she was playing the piano for the church on Sundays, and Charles was directing the music.  They eventually married on September 7, 1957, and enjoyed many years serving the Lord together in the music ministry in various churches, Charles directing and Ellen playing either the organ or piano, eventually settling down in Jackson, Mississippi.

Ellen was the loving mother of three daughters:  Teri Barker Norton, Allyson Barker Petrone (Joseph), and Kristy Barker Herbison (Stephan). She loved making clothes for her girls in her spare time, but she found her true love language in the kitchen creating wonderful meals for her family.  Serving Charles and her girls was where Ellen found her purpose and joy in life.

A strong work ethic was something instilled in the Hall siblings by their parents at an early age, and Ellen demonstrated that work ethic as an elementary school teacher, as a secretary for Wise Construction, and as an assistant to the president of Diversified Technology.  She was blessed through the years to have employers who respected and appreciated her.  Ellen Barker was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved Charles, her six siblings, Christine Hall Ford, Eunice Hall Magee, Purvis Hall, Jr., Ed Hall, Ernest Hall, and Tommy Hall, and her great grandson, Scout Secrist.  She is survived by her three daughters; her six grandchildren, Katye Norton Secrist, Casey Norton (Dayna), Kellie Norton, Chas Petrone, Michael Petrone (Katie), Ryan Herbison; and her seven great grandchildren, Deacon Secrist, Charli Kate Secrist, Roman Secrist, Everett Petrone, Anna Jo Petrone, Kennedy Norton, and Emmett Norton.

A visitation for Ellen Barker will be held on Monday, August 21, 2023, at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home in Flowood from 10:00am to 11:00am with a service following at 11:00am.