Viola Hawkins Barker, 80, of 254 Crestview Road in Slippery Rock, formerly of Morris Street in New Castle, died Thursday afternoon at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born Aug. 23, 1925, in Morgantown, W. Va., she was the daughter of Wilbur C. and Oarie Eddy Hawkings

She was a homemaker and enjoyed gardening. In her earlier years, she also enjoyed cooking, quilting and crocheting.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Rob (Sandy) Hempfling of Slippery Rock and Mrs. David (Shirrl) Beeson of Huntsville Ala.; a stepdaughter, Linda Dean of Portersville; three stepsons, William Barker of Ellwood City, Chuck Barker of Loveland, Ohio, and Dave Barker of Brockway; a brother, Merle Hawkins of Warren, Ohio; and a sister, Mrs. Bernard (Martha) Habig of Wadsworth, Ohio.

She also is survived by two grandchildren, Jennifer Corkadel and Trevor Hempfling; and several step-grandchildren.

Her husband, William B. Barker, died in 1980. A sister and a brother, Wanda Brzezinski and Raymond Hawkins, also preceded her in death.

<B>BARKER</B> — Friends of Viola Barker, who died Thursday, June 29, 2006, will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the <B>Ed & Don DeCarbo Funeral Home</B>, 941 S. Mill St., New Castle. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home with the Rev. Jeff Miller, pastor of North Street Christian Church of Butler, officiating. Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Wadsworth, Ohio.Online condolences may be submitted at www.decarbofuneralhome.com.