barker attended drury college (now drury university) in springfield, missouri, on a basketball scholarship. he was a member of the epsilon beta chapter of sigma nu fraternity at drury. on the outbreak of world war ii, barker served in the united states navy as a fighter pilot. however, the war ended before he was assigned to a seagoing squadron. after the war, he returned to drury to finish his education, graduating "summa cum laude" with a degree in economics.