Herman Barkemeyer, 80, of Lexington, Ind., a native of Rector, died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007, at Thornton Terrace Health Campus in Hanover, Ind.

The son of the late Herman Karl Barkemeyer and Melissa Price Barkemeyer Baker, he was born Nov. 6, 1926, in Rector. He was raised in Rector and graduated from high school here before attending Harding College at Searcy. He was inducted into the U.S. Army during World War II on March 12, 1945, and advanced to the rank of corporal. He was honorably discharged during the Korean War on March 20, 1953.

He was married to Mildred See and in 1954 moved to Madison, Ind., where he began a career with Indiana Kentucky Electric Corporation. He retired April 1, 1987, after 34 years as an electrician specialist. He was an amateur radio operator and enjoyed tinkering in electronics. Later in life he worked with Greyhound dogs.

He was a member of Madison VFW Post 1969, Jefferson Post 9 of the American Legion, a founding member of the Kent Volunteer Fire Company and a member of Monroe Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, William "Bill" Barkemeyer on July 7, 1995; a brother, Edwin Barkemeyer, and his step-father, Millard Baker.

Survivors include three grandchildren, Melissa Knight and her husband, Chris, Charli Barkemeyer and Kimberly Barkemeyer, all of Macon, Ga.; one sister, Pauline See and her husband, Bill, of Lebanon, Tenn.; one brother, Donald Barkemeyer of Grants Pass, Ore.; one daughter-in-law, Kathy Barkemeyer of Macon, Ga.; one great-grandchild, Kayln Knight of Macon, Ga.; several nieces, nephews and other relatives, and his caregivers, Kevin Mann and Cynthia Bell of Lexington, Ind., Shirley Beeler of Batesville, Ind., Sara Rae Bellows of Georgetown, Ind., and Mary Martha Schafer of Hanover, Ind.

Funeral services were at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 2, at Morgan and Nay Funeral Centre in Madison with Rev. Robert Leach officiating. Burial was in Andersonville National Cemetery in Americus, Ga.

The family requests that memorials in his memory be made to the American Cancer Society or Parkinson's Research.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.morgan-nay.com.