BAKER, Willard Wilford

BAKER, FLICK, BURNWORTH, MILLER, ALLEN, TULL, OVERHOLSER

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/30/2017 at 20:59:35

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa

OBITUARY ~ WILLARD WILFORD BAKER
April 08, 1894 ~ January 06, 1991

Willard Wilford Baker was the son of W.T. (Wm. Thomas) and Clara Flick Baker and was born on April 8, 1894 at Knowlton, Iowa and entered into eternal rest on January 6, 1991 at the age of 96 years, 8 months and 28 days. He attended rural school at Willow Grove which was 3/4 of a mile through the field from the family farm.

He was united in marriage with Nora Beatrice Burnworth on April 13, 1913 in Knowlton, Iowa in a double wedding ceremony with his brother and her sister. Both couples were privileged to celebrate thrir fiftieth wedding anniversary. Three daughters were born to bless this union.

Nora preceded him in death on December 16, 1967. On December 6, 1975 he was united in marriage to Ferne Miller at McAllen, Texas. Willard had made Crest Haven his home since June of 1990.

Willard was engaged in farming, worked for the railroad, and had been a cook during various times in his life. He and his wife Nora homesteaded at Gillette, Wyoming from 1917 to 1921. It was here that their daughter Opal was born. Being born of pioneer stock helped both Willard and Nora endure the hardships that homesteading thrust upon them.

He was preceded in death by his parents, both of his wives Nora and Ferne, three sisters, and four brothers. He was the last surviving member of the Baker family.

Those left to cherish his memory include his three daughters Lois (Cecil) Allen of Tingley, Iowa, Irene (Alvin) Tull of Creston, Iowa and Opal (Paul) Overholser of Treynor, Iowa, nine grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildrem and twenty-five great-great grandchildren, and a sister-in-law Clara Baker of Newburg, Oregon.

May God grant comfort and strength to those who mourn his passing.

Services were held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 8, 1991 First Christian Church, the Rev. Robert Pickerell officiating. Casket bearers were Von Tull, Art Hays, Howard Tull, Lloyd Drake, Willis Allen, and David Sobotka. Honorary casket bearers were Glen Tull, Jim Sissel, Milo, Green Allen, Ronald Tull, Loran Drake, Earl Miller, Pete Corneli, Lonnie Miller, and Leonard Miller. Organists were Joyce Frost and Lafern Barnes. Selected congregational hymns were "Amazing Grace" and "In the Garden".

Interment was made at Knowlton (Centenary) Cemetery, Diagonal, Iowa.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2017