Billie Gene Baker, 82 of Fair Grove, passed away peacefully with family by his side on Sunday, June 12, from “stiff-person syndrome” and Alzheimer’s complications.
After graduation, he went into the Army in the 82nd Airborne stationed in Germany from 1958-1961. When he came home, he married his high school sweetheart, Sharlene Taylor, on July 15, 1961. Bill loved his family, people, farming, all hunting (but pheasant hunting was his passion), and fishing. He was an avid Cardinals fan and enjoyed his Haflinger horses with Sharlene and the family.
After cutting wood with his father-in-law, he went to work at Dayco (now Timken) in Springfield in 1962. Bill worked there for 40 years retiring in 2002. He then went to work for MFA in Fair Grove for another 10 years retiring again in 2012.
Bill is survived by his wife, Sharlene, one daughter and three sons, Chris (Debbie) Baker, Tonnia (Mike) Perry, Kip (Melissa) Baker and Ty (Lisa) Baker. They were blessed with eight grandchildren: Cole (Amanda) Baker, Shyrah Perry (fiancé Chris Clinard), Icely (Tyler) Stieb, Krysta (Tanner) Counts, Brock Baker, Logan (Taylor) Baker, Shelby Baker and Landon Baker. They were great-grandparents to seven: Langston Baker; Edith, Eliza, and Daniel Counts: Macie and Avery Baker; and Crimsyn Stieb. Bill is also survived by two brothers, Gary (Karen) Baker and J.R. (Marie) Baker; three sisters, Shirley (Jim) Rippy, Carolyn (Bill) Lumley and Donna (Dan) Townsend; and sisters-and brothers-in-law, Kent (Beverly) Taylor, Sherry (Ronnie) Todd and Sandra Norton. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Mildred Baker; in-laws, Denzil and Ilene Taylor; granddaughter, Talissa Baker; and three brothers, Bob, Lonnie and Tom Baker.
Services for Bill will be at 10:00 am Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Greenlawn Funeral Home East. Interment with full military honors will follow at Mt. Olive Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm Friday, June 17, 2022 in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Mt. Olive Cemetery 10 Baker Lane Fair Grove, Missouri 65648 or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105