Wayne Baker
Harold Wayne Baker was born on January 13, 1955, in Kennett, Missouri. He was the first of three children born to Harold Tilford and Dolores Euline (Luna) Baker. He was raised as the child of a career Air Force father, and growing up, he had the opportunity to live in many different places, both stateside and overseas. As a teenager, Wayne accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior while living in California and never faltered from his faith. In 1973, he graduated from Moreno Valley High School in California. After graduation from high school, Wayne enlisted in the Air Force and completed basic training in San Antonio, Texas. He was later stationed in Okinawa, Japan, for eighteen months. When he returned stateside, he married his bride, Debra Gail Denney. For the remainder of his military service, Wayne and Debbie were stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. Upon completion of his military service, they returned to Missouri and made their home in Seymour, where their two sons, Marcus and David were born.
Wayne began his career as a machinist with a G.I. bill with Positronic Industries in Rogersville, Missouri. After he completed his G.I. bill training, he worked as a machinist with M.D. Pneumatics (Tuthill Industries) and later became their Quality Control Specialist. He later completed his career at Avatar Industries in Marshfield, Missouri.
As a father and grandfather, Wayne (“Pops”) enjoyed many outdoor activities with his family and getting together with their friends. Music was an immense part of his life. He greatly enjoyed listening to rock and roll music and playing his guitars and harmonica. He had a vast knowledge of music from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.
In November of 2018, Wayne was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He began a fierce and courageous battle that lasted ten months, with his final breath being taken on September 12, 2019, at his home, surrounded by family. He was 64 years old.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, George and Euline Luna; paternal grandparents, Clyde and Clarinda Baker; his mother, Dolores Baker; a granddaughter, Journey Faith Baker; his mother-in-law, Carol Denney; and his brother-in-law, Doug Denney.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie, of Seymour; sons Marcus and Cari Baker, of Seymour, and David and Amanda Baker, of Seymour; six grandchildren, Allysann, Dax, Addysann, Easton, Olivia, and Chance Baker, all of Seymour; his father, Tilford Baker, of Springfield; his father-in-law, Dale Denney, of Seymour; two sisters, Darlene and Jeff Miles, of Springfield, and Anita Baker, of Springfield; sister-in-law, Ingrid Denney, of Springfield; three nephews, Nicholas Miles, of Springfield, Aaron and Sumerly Miles, of Ozark, and Noah Climer with his father, David Climer, of Springfield; niece Adrienne Denney of Kansas City; great-nieces Emily Miles and Athena Walker; great-nephew Phelan Walker; and a host of other family and friends, as well as many four-legged, furry companions. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
*Wayne is listed with the brave and honorable men and women who fought for their country during the Vietnam War.*
Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 21, 2019 in the Fraker Funeral Home, Marshfield. Interment with military honors will follow in the Seymour Masonic Cemetery, Seymour. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until service time Saturday in the funeral home.