Neil Kay Baker

Neil Kay Baker, dearly loved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend passed away peacefully at the age of 90, February 24, 2025, in Lakewood, Colorado. He is survived by wife Judy, daughter Marni (Chris Elliott), daughter Shauna (Mike Rice), sons Michael, and Andrew, 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and brother Milton.

Born May 7,1934 to Robert & Margaret Baker, he was a fun older brother to Carma, Milton, and Karen. Always ready with a joke and a smile, Neil was well-liked, extraverted, and jovial.

Growing up in Sparks, Nevada, Neil had a wonderful childhood and learned to play sports, the piano, and the trumpet, and he grew into a busy, hardworking young man. As a teenager he began working at his dad’s grocery, which in time evolved into a hardware store and then a furniture store.

After graduating from Sparks High School in 1952, where he participated in diverse activities from drama to sports, Neil attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He studied there for two years and was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity. He then was called as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Western Central States Mission, serving in Montana and North Dakota. After his mission Neil continued his studies at Brigham Young University, where he graduated with a degree in Marketing. Enlisting with the Air National Guard in 1958, he showed his love of country.

While commuting up and down the East Coast as a sales rep, Neil met Judy Smith at a church dance in her native Washington D.C. He worked hard to woo her, eventually convincing Judy to marry him. After the couple’s wedding in St. George, Utah, in December 1963, they began their married life in D.C. Daughter Marni was born to them while living there, but they soon moved back to Sparks for Neil to join his siblings in running Baker’s Furniture, after the untimely death of their parents.

The Bakers raised their four children in Sparks and then Reno, only moving to Colorado in 2018, a few years after Neil suffered a stroke and retired from the business world. As a longtime member of Reno Rotary and other business, civic, and community organizations, Neil was an incredible networker long before networking was in style! He grew Baker’s Furniture into Baker’s Interiors which operated until 1982. The final chapter of his professional life was spent in insurance sales.

A gregarious guy, Neil made new friends everywhere he went and ran into old friends all over the country! Besides being an avid reader, he also loved snow skiing, boating, water skiing, riding his bike, swimming, and snorkelling, most often in Lake Tahoe. The Bakers set out on most expeditions in their dune buggy or motorhome, instilling their love of these adventures in their children. Judy and the kids were usually willing participants when Neil wanted to travel, explore, and sightsee. A music lover, he sang in various choirs, taught himself to play the ukelele, and participated in skits and roadshows with family and friends.

Often found tinkering in the garage, Neil built awesome things like a playhouse, a barbie house, decks for some of their backyards, various innovative contraptions, and his amazing red barn style workshop. He also had a lifelong fascination with cars, trains, and planes, earning his pilot’s license and flying his father’s small airplanes.

Throughout his life Neil faithfully worked in many capacities in his church. He was a stellar example of friendliness, commitment, and willingness to serve. His smile and enthusiasm are already greatly missed.

Family and friends are invited to a celebration of Neil’s life at 4 pm on April 19, 2025 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1095 Golconda Drive Reno, NV

Interment will be in the Masonic Memorial Gardens Cemetery of Re