Lee Barker (25 May 1972 - 7 Sep 2025)

In loving memory of Lee Barker who sadly passed away on 7th September 2025.

Tribute to Lee Barker
The man who would eventually reach the dizzy heights of 6-foot 4, Lee! a lovely guy because everyone said so, his life began in Lincoln on the 25th of May 1972.
Lee’s parents were from the North East, his father Jack was a coal miner his mother Elsie a mum to four children, the late Ian, Barry who lives down under, and Paul his siblings. Lee was the unmentioned favourite who never went to work without his packed lunch prepared, but there was never any jealousy from his siblings of any kind about that 😊
Before moving to the Midlands, Lee was educated briefly at East Stanley Primary school in County Durham which is now in the Beamish museum. This might explain his school nickname ‘’Geordie’’ a name which amused his brothers 😊. After moving, he went to Newgate Lane Primary School in Mansfield, taking his senior years at Ravensdale Middle School and Sherwood Hall Upper School. Lee’s view on formal education was “it was alright”.
Lee was probably the original football crazy, football mad! it was always about football right from the very first moments. Certainly, after the family moved to the Midlands from Durham. The football days out to watch the Stags play, home and away, were the highlight of Lee’s week in his young adult years, as an avid supporter back in the day.
Lee’s first job was working market stalls as a young lad. His second was a full-time role as an apprentice joiner with Baggaley. At the end of said apprenticeship Lee became self-employed as a joiner.
It was on a wet and windy rooftop one afternoon watching a kitchen fitter who was warm and dry below that dictated Lee’s future working career, kitchen fitting was the way forward. After a short period of working for Nottinghamshire County Council as a locksmith and at B&Q, he continued to work as a self-employed kitchen fitter, a skill which was completely exploited by all the family. In his forties, he had another ’’on the roof moment’’ when he realised his back and knees couldn’t take much more, so he moved into management with JT Ellis before his final role as Contract Manager for Omega Plc.
Lee had met and married his first wife Karen Arnold and were together for about 21 years. They had three children Jamie, Steven and Hannah, who in the fullness of years gave him Halle and Mia as grandchildren. Sadly, Demi Leigh did not reach full term but is in our thoughts today too.
It was later that Lee, with encouragement from his son Jamie, tried online dating and met the lovely Kelly Jennings in the Greendale Oak at Cuckney, although both were unsure what the other really looked like. Lee’s initial thoughts? She was crazy! It worked out well and they were destined for many air and nautical miles together but more about that shortly.
It was 2 years of courting before they finally lived together along with Kelly’s two children, Joseph and Sophie. They eventually married on the 9th of July 2022 and had been together for 12 and a half years. Their honeymoon was a 2-week cruise to Northern Europe, this began their introduction to the world of cruising.
Kelly reflecting said that Lee was a fun, loving, thoughtful and caring husband who thought a great deal about me and always put me first. Okay he could be tight at times, but he was always there and very supportive and loving to all the family.
Jamie and Steven saying that dad could be strict, we knew exactly how big a size 12 foot was. Mostly in jest, Dad was very outgoing and would take us anywhere and do anything with us.
In later years for Jamie that included going to work with Dad as an apprentice. He fondly recalls the day some years before when working with his dad and being tasked to fit some door handles, only to find out that they were all the wrong way around, hence the need of an apprenticeship.
Steven also worked with his father! Now? did he eat Lee's sandwiches that day or not? The jury is still out on that one.
Yes, the subject of football has to come up again of course because as a young man Lee played for Mansfield Rangers and, as a Goalkeeper, his manager Ivan recalls Lee scoring from his own goal!! – If only Chris Kamara was watching!!
Lee carried on playing well into his 40’s with 5 aside football as well as managing several teams, including the Woodhouse Colts who Jamie and later Hannah, played for, having achieved his Level 3 in FA coaching.
He took his very capable skills onto managing a ladies football team AFC Mansfield, who his daughter Hannah played for. He absolutely revelled in managing that team the family said, and the tournaments away, especially to Butlins. Lee was also assistant manager for Joseph’s team, Langold and Worksop Juniors FC.
Lee was a man who had presence and truly enjoyed attending and speaking at the presentation evenings, but the truth be known, it was much about the socialising as it was the football, he liked a party.
Lee was an honest man, having old school values and morals, a man who generally liked to help others as much as he could, being truly respected by many people, as is represented here today.
I had mentioned earlier about the aeronautical miles that Kelly and Lee were to travel, please do not try to hold your breath whilst I go through the list of some of the destinations, America, Australia, Denmark, Estonia, NZ, Canada, the 4 Canary Islands, 4 Caribbean Islands, Iceland, Sweden, Austria, France, Germany, Majorca, Finland, The Netherlands, Madeira, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Portugal many times, in fact there was one year when they did more than 20 flights each.
And let's not forget the mere 8 cruises, and various skiing trips. Holidays taken in the UK including Cornwall, Scotland, Isle of Wight Festivals and of course Lee’s much-loved boating on the Norfolk Broads.
Kelly and Lee have more stamps in their passports than Alan Wicker and Judith Chalmers combined. Not even his illness prevented them from enjoying holidays and exploring the world. Even towards the later stages of his illness he was always asking ’’when are we booking the next cruise?’’.
There were many day trips out too, but all had to be strategically planned around the football on the TV of course!! They even managed to get some tickets for the Euro Finals, via Majorca 😊
Back at home Lee was happy to have the grandchildren around and absolutely loved all and any kind of family events. He was never one for watching movies, but Elf, Snatch, and war films such as Dunkirk, were fair game for Lee. The sounds of ACDC however really were his thing, not that Kelly would let him listen to that, but she would submit to the sounds of Gold radio. Lee was a big fan of Queen, and he also loved “Islands in the Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.
There won’t be any more twerking at parties for Lee, the fun-loving man who loved the good times is now at rest; Jeff Stelling, any football related show, Countdown, Only Fools and Horses and Benidorm, have all lost an avid fan.
Lee had fought a hard battle and was never known to be negative or having any kind of pity party attitude, he remained upbeat and positive eagerly wanting to know when the next treatment would be! He never faulted in his bravery and stoicism to the very end, the family all agreed.
In loving tribute and memory to Lee Barker, as we would all agree was a lovely guy and a true gentleman, A son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and a true friend, quite fittingly, he will have the last words today
…… “Let’s get the Glayva out!!”….