William Edward Barker IV, 40 of Fitchburg, WI, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, December 6, 2025. He was born December 1, 1985, in Hammond, IN to William Edward Barker III and Cathie (Betz) Wellsand. Will graduated from Valparaiso High School in 2004, received his bachelor's degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, and did his graduate studies at the University of Vermont. He was currently working as a Senior Scientist on the Analytical Lab Team for Exact Sciences in Madison, WI. Will enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, as well as reading, gaming, running, and hiking. He had a wonderful sense of humor and a very quick wit. Will made friends easily wherever he went and was supportive of those around him. Will was highly intelligent, and an eloquent speaker who had a wonderful way with words. He made a lasting imprint on this world, and he will be fondly remembered and dearly missed every day.
Will is survived by his mother, Cathie (Terry) Wellsand of Wheatfield; father, William (Damaris) Barker III of Valparaiso; siblings: Sarah Barker, Natalie (James) Barker-Krantz, and Kody Lamb; nieces and nephews: Shadia, Lujain, Farris, Laith, Olin, and Ivan; and his beloved cat, Theo.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Moeller Funeral Home, 104 Roosevelt Rd., Valparaiso, IN, with a memorial service beginning at 12:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Will’s name to the Porter County Humane Society or an animal charity of the donor’s choice.
GUESTBOOK
Bill, Kathy and girls, I am so sorry for your loss of Will. Prayers, -Janifer Fox/Keel
Will was such a kind, gentle soul. I had the pleasure of working with him at Exact Sciences for the last few years, and I'm so sad to hear of his passing. We all are heartbroken. -Patrick Toney
May the Creator grant peace and comfort to all who knew, loved, and laughed with Will. He was an exceptionally kind person. -Viviana González - Valpo Class of 2004
My condolences to the family and his friends. A terrible loss to us all. A rare, genuine, kind, lighthearted soul is no longer with us. I am so sorry. Please let me know if the family needs anything. -Romi Patel
My condolences to Will’s family and friends. I had the pleasure of working with Will at Exact Science. He was always so helpful and was always the first person to welcome new lab members. It was always fun to chat with him and see how quick he was with his responses. He will be missed. -Xena Trujillo
My heartfelt condolences to William’s family and friends in these trying times. William is one of first among the few friends I made in grad school. You are dearly missed. -Praveena
My thoughts are with Will’s family during this difficult time. Will was a scientist on my weekend and 2nd shift teams. He was a wonderful addition to a very special group of scientists. He was funny, kind, and thoughtful towards everyone. If you needed a smile, Will was there beaming. He is greatly missed by his Wisconsin friends. -Colleen Stowe
Will was one of my colleagues at Exact. He was so kind and warm and was such a positive influence on me at work. I'll dearly miss him. Your family is in my thoughts and I am sending warmth your way. -Sonia Driskill
