Santa Fe real-estate broker, investor and developer Laughlin Barker, whose roots here go back more than a century, died Wednesday at age 89.
"He was a first-rate citizen — very able and conscientious, a good businessman," said his childhood friend Daniel T. Kelly Jr. "I would say there are few like him."
Barker's maternal grandfather, N.B. Laughlin, rode into Santa Fe on a horse in 1879 and by the early 20th century was appointed to the Territorial Supreme Court.
His mother, Ruth Laughlin, wrote the 1948 novel The Wind Leaves No Shadow, based on the life of Santa Fe gambling-house matron Doña Tules.
His father, William Judson Barker, was a well-known Santa Fe lawyer and state district judge.
Laughlin Barker was born on April 30, 1921, and grew up on De Vargas Street.
"His parents and my parents were very close friends, so as a child, I saw a great deal of him," recalled Kelly. "We used to go horseback riding together and we used to go down and try to sell pop bottles to Coca Cola — you know, all those kind of crazy things that kids do."
While attending Santa Fe High School, Barker met Rene McClatchy, the daughter of a California newspaperman who had come to Santa Fe to work for the National Park Service and whose family founded the McClatchy newspaper chain.
After graduation in 1938, Barker attended New Mexico Military Academy in Roswell for a year, then was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and became a fighter pilot during World War II. On June 2, 1945, he married Rene in Sausalito, Calif.
The next month, he was on an aircraft carrier headed to Japan when he heard an atomic bomb had hit Hiroshima. Eight days later, Japan surrendered. "That was a big relief because we didn't take a lot of pleasure in what we were going to do," he told The New Mexican 50 years later.
Barker remained in the Navy for another 15 years. While he and Ruth were stationed in Naples, Italy, and at several places in the United States, all six of their children were born. In 1964, he retired with the rank of commander and returned to Santa Fe to live on East Palace Avenue. He went to work for an insurance firm, managed the downtown building that his grandfather built at 102 W. San Francisco St. and then opened his own real-estate agency.
"In real estate, honesty is the primary requirement," he said after being named one of Santa Fe's Living Treasures. "Every property has problems, and I told people of the problems. I was not interested in quick home-flipping for a lot of money. I told people that if they did not maintain adobe homes, they would wash away."
Barker pushed to build the portales over sidewalks around the Santa Fe Plaza, served on the boards of the School of American Research (now the School for Advanced Research) and St. Vincent Hospital (now Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center), and as president of the trustees when the hospital moved from downtown to its current location on St. Michael's Drive in the 1970s.
A founder of Capital Bank, he later served on the board of its successor, Sunwest Bank. He was president of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Fe Association of Realtors and the New Mexico Association of Realtors, and was Realtor of the Year several times.
Barker's real estate holdings continued to grow. He acquired the Dendahl complex on the north side of West San Francisco St. and then Radio Plaza at 210 E. Marcy St., next to The New Mexican. In 1996, he rebuilt the 204-foot commercial-radio tower there as a 185-foot cell-phone tower. He eventually sold Barker Realty to his son David and Barker Management to his son John so he could concentrate on several developments, including one across from E.J. Martinez Elementary School. In 2002, he and his family acquired the Old Santa Fe Inn at 320 Galisteo St.
Barker died early Wednesday at the Kingston Residence where he had been for a few months. He was preceded in death by his oldest child, Laughlin "Chico" Barker. He is survived by his wife, Rene Barker; two daughters, Suzanne Barker Kalangis of Albuquerque and Christine Barker Ruskin of Connecticut; three sons, John Barker of Santa Fe, David Barker of Santa Fe and Patrick Barker of Indian Harbor Beach, Fla.
Funeral services are planned for 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at The Church of the Holy Faith Episcopal, 202 E. Palace Ave.
"He was a first-rate citizen — very able and conscientious, a good businessman," said his childhood friend Daniel T. Kelly Jr. "I would say there are few like him."
Barker's maternal grandfather, N.B. Laughlin, rode into Santa Fe on a horse in 1879 and by the early 20th century was appointed to the Territorial Supreme Court.
His mother, Ruth Laughlin, wrote the 1948 novel The Wind Leaves No Shadow, based on the life of Santa Fe gambling-house matron Doña Tules.
His father, William Judson Barker, was a well-known Santa Fe lawyer and state district judge.
Laughlin Barker was born on April 30, 1921, and grew up on De Vargas Street.
"His parents and my parents were very close friends, so as a child, I saw a great deal of him," recalled Kelly. "We used to go horseback riding together and we used to go down and try to sell pop bottles to Coca Cola — you know, all those kind of crazy things that kids do."
While attending Santa Fe High School, Barker met Rene McClatchy, the daughter of a California newspaperman who had come to Santa Fe to work for the National Park Service and whose family founded the McClatchy newspaper chain.
After graduation in 1938, Barker attended New Mexico Military Academy in Roswell for a year, then was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and became a fighter pilot during World War II. On June 2, 1945, he married Rene in Sausalito, Calif.
The next month, he was on an aircraft carrier headed to Japan when he heard an atomic bomb had hit Hiroshima. Eight days later, Japan surrendered. "That was a big relief because we didn't take a lot of pleasure in what we were going to do," he told The New Mexican 50 years later.
Barker remained in the Navy for another 15 years. While he and Ruth were stationed in Naples, Italy, and at several places in the United States, all six of their children were born. In 1964, he retired with the rank of commander and returned to Santa Fe to live on East Palace Avenue. He went to work for an insurance firm, managed the downtown building that his grandfather built at 102 W. San Francisco St. and then opened his own real-estate agency.
"In real estate, honesty is the primary requirement," he said after being named one of Santa Fe's Living Treasures. "Every property has problems, and I told people of the problems. I was not interested in quick home-flipping for a lot of money. I told people that if they did not maintain adobe homes, they would wash away."
Barker pushed to build the portales over sidewalks around the Santa Fe Plaza, served on the boards of the School of American Research (now the School for Advanced Research) and St. Vincent Hospital (now Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center), and as president of the trustees when the hospital moved from downtown to its current location on St. Michael's Drive in the 1970s.
A founder of Capital Bank, he later served on the board of its successor, Sunwest Bank. He was president of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Fe Association of Realtors and the New Mexico Association of Realtors, and was Realtor of the Year several times.
Barker's real estate holdings continued to grow. He acquired the Dendahl complex on the north side of West San Francisco St. and then Radio Plaza at 210 E. Marcy St., next to The New Mexican. In 1996, he rebuilt the 204-foot commercial-radio tower there as a 185-foot cell-phone tower. He eventually sold Barker Realty to his son David and Barker Management to his son John so he could concentrate on several developments, including one across from E.J. Martinez Elementary School. In 2002, he and his family acquired the Old Santa Fe Inn at 320 Galisteo St.
Barker died early Wednesday at the Kingston Residence where he had been for a few months. He was preceded in death by his oldest child, Laughlin "Chico" Barker. He is survived by his wife, Rene Barker; two daughters, Suzanne Barker Kalangis of Albuquerque and Christine Barker Ruskin of Connecticut; three sons, John Barker of Santa Fe, David Barker of Santa Fe and Patrick Barker of Indian Harbor Beach, Fla.
Funeral services are planned for 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at The Church of the Holy Faith Episcopal, 202 E. Palace Ave.
Santa Fe real-estate broker, investor and developer Laughlin Barker, whose roots here go back more than a century, died Wednesday at age 89.
"He was a first-rate citizen — very able and conscientious, a good businessman," said his childhood friend Daniel T. Kelly Jr. "I would say there are few like him."
Barker's maternal grandfather, N.B. Laughlin, rode into Santa Fe on a horse in 1879 and by the early 20th century was appointed to the Territorial Supreme Court.
His mother, Ruth Laughlin, wrote the 1948 novel The Wind Leaves No Shadow, based on the life of Santa Fe gambling-house matron Doña Tules.
His father, William Judson Barker, was a well-known Santa Fe lawyer and state district judge.
Laughlin Barker was born on April 30, 1921, and grew up on De Vargas Street.
"His parents and my parents were very close friends, so as a child, I saw a great deal of him," recalled Kelly. "We used to go horseback riding together and we used to go down and try to sell pop bottles to Coca Cola — you know, all those kind of crazy things that kids do."
While attending Santa Fe High School, Barker met Rene McClatchy, the daughter of a California newspaperman who had come to Santa Fe to work for the National Park Service and whose family founded the McClatchy newspaper chain.
After graduation in 1938, Barker attended New Mexico Military Academy in Roswell for a year, then was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and became a fighter pilot during World War II. On June 2, 1945, he married Rene in Sausalito, Calif.
The next month, he was on an aircraft carrier headed to Japan when he heard an atomic bomb had hit Hiroshima. Eight days later, Japan surrendered. "That was a big relief because we didn't take a lot of pleasure in what we were going to do," he told The New Mexican 50 years later.
Barker remained in the Navy for another 15 years. While he and Ruth were stationed in Naples, Italy, and at several places in the United States, all six of their children were born. In 1964, he retired with the rank of commander and returned to Santa Fe to live on East Palace Avenue. He went to work for an insurance firm, managed the downtown building that his grandfather built at 102 W. San Francisco St. and then opened his own real-estate agency.
"In real estate, honesty is the primary requirement," he said after being named one of Santa Fe's Living Treasures. "Every property has problems, and I told people of the problems. I was not interested in quick home-flipping for a lot of money. I told people that if they did not maintain adobe homes, they would wash away."
Barker pushed to build the portales over sidewalks around the Santa Fe Plaza, served on the boards of the School of American Research (now the School for Advanced Research) and St. Vincent Hospital (now Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center), and as president of the trustees when the hospital moved from downtown to its current location on St. Michael's Drive in the 1970s.
A founder of Capital Bank, he later served on the board of its successor, Sunwest Bank. He was president of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Fe Association of Realtors and the New Mexico Association of Realtors, and was Realtor of the Year several times.
Barker's real estate holdings continued to grow. He acquired the Dendahl complex on the north side of West San Francisco St. and then Radio Plaza at 210 E. Marcy St., next to The New Mexican. In 1996, he rebuilt the 204-foot commercial-radio tower there as a 185-foot cell-phone tower. He eventually sold Barker Realty to his son David and Barker Management to his son John so he could concentrate on several developments, including one across from E.J. Martinez Elementary School. In 2002, he and his family acquired the Old Santa Fe Inn at 320 Galisteo St.
Barker died early Wednesday at the Kingston Residence where he had been for a few months. He was preceded in death by his oldest child, Laughlin "Chico" Barker. He is survived by his wife, Rene Barker; two daughters, Suzanne Barker Kalangis of Albuquerque and Christine Barker Ruskin of Connecticut; three sons, John Barker of Santa Fe, David Barker of Santa Fe and Patrick Barker of Indian Harbor Beach, Fla.
Funeral services are planned for 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at The Church of the Holy Faith Episcopal, 202 E. Palace Ave.
"He was a first-rate citizen — very able and conscientious, a good businessman," said his childhood friend Daniel T. Kelly Jr. "I would say there are few like him."
Barker's maternal grandfather, N.B. Laughlin, rode into Santa Fe on a horse in 1879 and by the early 20th century was appointed to the Territorial Supreme Court.
His mother, Ruth Laughlin, wrote the 1948 novel The Wind Leaves No Shadow, based on the life of Santa Fe gambling-house matron Doña Tules.
His father, William Judson Barker, was a well-known Santa Fe lawyer and state district judge.
Laughlin Barker was born on April 30, 1921, and grew up on De Vargas Street.
"His parents and my parents were very close friends, so as a child, I saw a great deal of him," recalled Kelly. "We used to go horseback riding together and we used to go down and try to sell pop bottles to Coca Cola — you know, all those kind of crazy things that kids do."
While attending Santa Fe High School, Barker met Rene McClatchy, the daughter of a California newspaperman who had come to Santa Fe to work for the National Park Service and whose family founded the McClatchy newspaper chain.
After graduation in 1938, Barker attended New Mexico Military Academy in Roswell for a year, then was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and became a fighter pilot during World War II. On June 2, 1945, he married Rene in Sausalito, Calif.
The next month, he was on an aircraft carrier headed to Japan when he heard an atomic bomb had hit Hiroshima. Eight days later, Japan surrendered. "That was a big relief because we didn't take a lot of pleasure in what we were going to do," he told The New Mexican 50 years later.
Barker remained in the Navy for another 15 years. While he and Ruth were stationed in Naples, Italy, and at several places in the United States, all six of their children were born. In 1964, he retired with the rank of commander and returned to Santa Fe to live on East Palace Avenue. He went to work for an insurance firm, managed the downtown building that his grandfather built at 102 W. San Francisco St. and then opened his own real-estate agency.
"In real estate, honesty is the primary requirement," he said after being named one of Santa Fe's Living Treasures. "Every property has problems, and I told people of the problems. I was not interested in quick home-flipping for a lot of money. I told people that if they did not maintain adobe homes, they would wash away."
Barker pushed to build the portales over sidewalks around the Santa Fe Plaza, served on the boards of the School of American Research (now the School for Advanced Research) and St. Vincent Hospital (now Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center), and as president of the trustees when the hospital moved from downtown to its current location on St. Michael's Drive in the 1970s.
A founder of Capital Bank, he later served on the board of its successor, Sunwest Bank. He was president of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Fe Association of Realtors and the New Mexico Association of Realtors, and was Realtor of the Year several times.
Barker's real estate holdings continued to grow. He acquired the Dendahl complex on the north side of West San Francisco St. and then Radio Plaza at 210 E. Marcy St., next to The New Mexican. In 1996, he rebuilt the 204-foot commercial-radio tower there as a 185-foot cell-phone tower. He eventually sold Barker Realty to his son David and Barker Management to his son John so he could concentrate on several developments, including one across from E.J. Martinez Elementary School. In 2002, he and his family acquired the Old Santa Fe Inn at 320 Galisteo St.
Barker died early Wednesday at the Kingston Residence where he had been for a few months. He was preceded in death by his oldest child, Laughlin "Chico" Barker. He is survived by his wife, Rene Barker; two daughters, Suzanne Barker Kalangis of Albuquerque and Christine Barker Ruskin of Connecticut; three sons, John Barker of Santa Fe, David Barker of Santa Fe and Patrick Barker of Indian Harbor Beach, Fla.
Funeral services are planned for 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at The Church of the Holy Faith Episcopal, 202 E. Palace Ave.
Gravesite Details
Ashes
Family Members
Children
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
