George Harold Baker

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 P.M. (Noon) Saturday, February 23, 2013 at Bratcher Funeral Home in Denison, with Rev. Earl Oglesbee officiating. Burial will be at Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherman, Texas. Military honors will be conducted by the U. S. Marine Corps Honor Guard of the Naval Air Station Ft. Worth Joint Reserve Base, Carswell Field, Ft. Worth, Texas

Pallbearers will be Nicolas Baker, Brian Whitley, Chris Baker, Eddie Lindsay and Jamie Barnes .

George was born December 30, 1931 in Brighton, Tennessee to Joseph and Meda Baker and was the youngest of two children. He married Rachel Briggs in 1950 and they had three children. They were married 24 years before Rachel’s death.

He enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps in 1951 and served for 20 years, serving in Korea and Vietnam. He retired from the military in 1971, where he served as a gunnery sergeant. He also worked for Montgomery Ward for 7 years, starting in 1972.

George married Ruth Catherine Whitehead Cowell on May 25, 1975. He loved to travel. They moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where they lived for 10 years. There he worked as a security guard for Theron Howard & Associates, Inc.

They moved back to Texas in 1995. He worked at Goodwill Industries in Sherman and Denison and also Denison Denture Lab.

George was a Christian, professed his faith and was baptized in 1972. He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church, where he served several years as a Sunday school teacher. He retired from working in 1997 to pursue his hobbies. He loved the outdoors and he loved music. He played many instruments: the guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin and dobro.

He is survived by wife Ruth Baker of Denison; sons Joe Baker, Dale Baker & wife Sherry of Sherman; daughter Cindi Stapleton & husband Lloyd of Ontario, Canada; step-son Mike Cowell & wife Lorna; 9 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.bratcherfuneralhome.com