Published July 17, 2025
Melissa Cole, Pensacola State College Foundation
Sharing the memory of someone special with the world, preserving their spirit and continuing their story, is one of the purest ways in which love endures.
After the unexpected passing of her husband, Dewey, Pensacola State College alumnae and long-time employee of the College, Ella Barker, collaborated with friends, family, and colleagues to help establish the Dewey and Ella Barker STEM Scholarship. This scholarship honors Dewey’s beloved memory and his passion for science, discovery, and education.
For most of his life, Dewey was enamored with the beauty of the stars above. In his adulthood, he served the Escambia Amateur Astronomers’ Association as Stargaze Coordinator and Observing Chairman. He enjoyed scheduling star-gazing sessions for the local community and treasured the opportunity to share his love of astronomy with others.
While studying the stars was his passion, Dewey’s greatest love was his wife, Ella.
Dewey and Ella both graduated from Pensacola State College with degrees in criminal justice and business, respectively. Their paths first crossed in 1987 as new employees of the College. When making deliveries, Dewey enjoyed conversations with fellow employees. Ella can recall that Dewey was the type of person who “never met a stranger.”
Their early friendship formed amid conversations about Dewey’s stamp collection. Dewey captured Ella’s interest by sharing what qualities made stamps unique and the historical significance embedded within each stamp. Ella was sure to keep a lookout for new stamps to add to Dewey’s collection.
Their budding friendship would become the first of many steps on a shared journey.
While at PSC, Dewey began his twenty-two-year service with the United States Navy Reserves. In 1994, Dewey left the College to work for the Escambia County School District. Ella continued her career at the College, where she rose to the rank of General Accounting Coordinator in the Comptroller’s Office. The two lost contact with each other for ten years.
In 2004, a chance encounter at a restaurant near the College resulted in Dewey asking Ella out on a date. As fate would have it, a lunch date led to a dinner date which led to a wedding date. After the two reconnected, the spark between them quickly grew, and they were married just four years later.
Dewey and Ella were inseparable soulmates, uplifting one another in their careers and in their lives.
Before retiring from the Escambia County School District in 2019, Dewey had worked his way up from Warehouse Storekeeper to Warehouse Manager. He enjoyed working part-time as a stamp collection evaluator and volunteering as President of the local Stamp Club. He continued volunteering with the Escambia Amateur Astronomers’ Association, where he oversaw public outreach and assisted in growing interest in the field.
In 2020, the couple celebrated Ella’s recognition as PSC’s “Employee of the Year.” She earned the honor after nearly four decades of invaluable service to the College.
Outside of their careers, Dewey and Ella loved to watch movies; attend the local PENSACON convention; and take annual stargazing trips to the Rainwater Observatory in French Camp, Mississippi together.
When Dewey passed away unexpectedly in 2023, the community that he spent years serving stepped up to honor his memory. Jacque Falzone, Sheryl Williams, Dr. John Wooten, and the Escambia Amateur Astronomer’s Association united with Ella to establish a $5,300 memorial scholarship at Pensacola State College, where Ella and Dewey’s story began.
The Dewey and Ella Barker STEM Scholarship will support students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related fields and will be awarded for the first time in the new academic school year starting August 18.
Contributions to this scholarship can be made online by selecting “Dewey and Ella Barker STEM Scholarship” from the drop-down menu at: https://foundation.pensacolastate.edu/opportunities-to-support-psc/scholarships/.
Gifts can also be made by check payable to “The Pensacola State College Foundation.” Checks can be mailed to or dropped off at: Pensacola State College Foundation, 1000 College Boulevard, Building 17, Pensacola, FL 32504.
Are you interested in establishing a scholarship to honor a special person or a cause in your life? Contact Mikenzie Francis-Opperman, Director of Foundation Scholarships at (850) 484-1788 or mfrancis-opperman@pensacolastate.edu for more information.