Charles Ray Baker

Charles Ray Baker, age 92, of Talpa, died Saturday, January 9, 2021 at the Coleman County Medical Center.

A come and go viewing will be 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at Stevens Funeral Home, 400 W. Pecan Street, in Coleman.  A graveside funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at the Coleman City Cemetery with Rev. Lloyd Hopper officiating.  Interment will follow in the Coleman City Cemetery.  Services are entrusted to Stevens Funeral Home in Coleman.

Charles was born December 2, 1928 in Canadian, Texas to Horace Levi Baker and Leona Harmony Gantz Baker.  At the age of six, the family moved to Cortez, Colorado where he graduated high school.  Charles went to Colorado A&M for a brief period and then started a career driving trucks.

Charles met Rosa Folkner in Coleman in 1950.  They were married at the Central Baptist Church on June 1, 1952.  They spent 68 years together working, playing, having fun, raising a family, and loving each other.

They lived in Coleman, Cortez, Colorado, and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where they raised their family.  Charles was a devoted deacon at Northdell Baptist Church while in Albuquerque and managed a trucking company for ten years.  Charles moved his family to Baytown, Texas in 1972 where he was a foreman for U.S Steel.  They lived there for five years and moved back to Coleman in 1977.  Charles entered the oilfield business as a well gauger and retired in 2015.

Charles is preceded in death by his parents, H.L. and Leona Baker; his son, Charles “Chuck” Baker, Jr.; one brother, Kenneth Baker; and his mother and father in law, Ab and Ruby Folkner.

He is survived by his wife, Rosa Baker of Talpa; his children, Kenneth Baker and wife Jan of Burkett, James Baker of Talpa, and Lisa Milligan and husband Gunner of Talpa; his daughter-in-law, Nancy Baker of Coleman; nine grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; his siblings, Don Baker and wife Maxine of British Columbia, Canada, Darlene Cummings and husband Tim of Richland, and Nadine Hamilton and husband Jack of Cortez, Colorado; his brothers-in-law, Bob Folkner and wife Sherry of Lubbock, and Jim Folkner and wife Lynn of Dallas; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested in memory of Charles to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.

Remembrances, condolences, and messages of comfort can be expressed to the family at www.livingmemorials.com.  Stevens Funeral Home is honored to serve the Baker family.

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Funerals are currently a public event being held during the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  When you attend a public event, you are acknowledging risk of exposure.