Lee Barker

Owensboro Police Department — Owensboro, KY

Cardiac

End of Watch February 14, 1912

Age 62

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 26 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Patrolman Lee Barker suffered a fatal heart attack while investigating a burglary in progress. While on patrol with another officer, Patrolman Barker went to check on one store and while passing a grocery store at the corner of Seventh and Triplett Streets discovered a burglary in progress. He asked two civilians to help him apprehend the burglars. As he was standing at the window they had broken to enter the store, there was breaking glass at the front of the store. Patrolman Barker started to turn in the direction of the noise, but he toppled over against the side of the store and then fell to the pavement Patrolman Barker had served with the Owensboro Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, six daughters, three sons, a brother, and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-52ABCE64
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Barker gave the Owensboro Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Owensboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Barker.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Owensboro Police Department

Location Owensboro, KY

Platform Identity opd.daviess.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 14, 1912

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 62

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Patrolman Lee Barker is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In KY, 44 of 983 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.5 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Owensboro Police Department, 2 of 6 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Owensboro Police Department

of 6 officers

33.3% Cardiac

KY — Statewide

of 983 officers

4.5% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac