Gary Wayne Barker, professor of theatre and associate dean for administration and undergraduate affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences at Saint Louis University, died Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. He was 62.Barker joined SLU in the summer of 2001 and, in his nearly 25 years, was a professor, department chair, and associate dean.Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 13,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good. Learn more at www.slu.edu.

POV: you needed a break from studying, so you’re doing yoga with goats on the quad.

Join Saint Louis University in celebrating the graduates of the School of Social Work. Watch today's precommencement celebration live as it's streamed from St. Francis Xavier College Church.

Join Saint Louis University as it celebrates the annual Baccalaureate Mass. Join us as we give thanks to God for the gifts and opportunities bestowed upon our graduates and the growth and success they have achieved.

Join Saint Louis University in celebrating the graduates of the School of Education. Watch today's precommencement celebration live as it's streamed from St. Francis Xavier College Church.

Saint Louis University celebrates the achievements of the Class of 2026 during its annual spring Commencement ceremony. Watch today's celebration as it's streamed live from Chaifetz Arena.

Join Saint Louis University in celebrating the graduates of the Doisy College of Health Sciences. Watch today's precommencement celebration live as it's streamed from Chaifetz Arena.

Join Saint Louis University in celebrating the graduates of the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business. Watch today's precommencement celebration live as it's streamed from Chaifetz Arena.

Join Saint Louis University in celebrating the graduates of the School of Medicine's M.D. program. Watch today's precommencement celebration live as it's streamed from Chaifetz Arena.

Join Saint Louis University in celebrating the graduates of the School of Science and Engineering. Watch today's precommencement celebration live as it's streamed from Chaifetz Arena.