Bill M. Baker

Bill Max Baker, Sr., departed this world on Thursday, January 9, 2020 at the age of 89. He was surrounded by his wife and loved ones at home in Oklahoma City, OK. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William Max Baker and Mary Magdalene Baker; his 3 brothers, John “JW” Baker, Allen “AD” Baker, and Richard Baker; his granddaughter, Annie Baker; and his grandson, Brent Baker.

Bill was born on March 12, 1930 as the third child to his parents in Blytheville, Arkansas. He married the love of his life, Oleta (Mizell) Baker, in Carson City, Nevada on October 16, 1949. Shortly thereafter, Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War with distinction. After his honorable discharge in 1952, Bill and Oleta moved to Tulsa, OK. In 1958, they moved to Muskogee, OK where Bill opened and managed Ryder’s Truck Rental.

In 1967, Bill and Oleta purchased Baker’s Tasty Foods (formerly known as Tastee Freeze). Bill retired in 1995 from Ryder’s Truck Rental after 42 years of service. He then joined his wife in managing Baker’s Tasty Foods full time. They both retired from the restaurant business in 2000 after more than 34 years of owning and operating it. In 2018, Bill and Oleta moved to Oklahoma City, OK.

Bill didn’t know a stranger. He was a friend to everyone he met and always put a smile on your face. He was known to be very generous, witty, and energetic. He loved fast cars and worked on sponsored stock cars. A passion of his was travel, and he spent a great deal of time in Branson, MO with his wife. He was an avid sportsman; he enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, boating and spending time at his cabins on Lake Tenkiller with his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Oleta Baker. He is lovingly remembered by his 6 children, Rita Dobson of Muskogee, OK; Bill Jr. and his wife, Susan Baker, of Sallisaw, OK; Brenda Terrell of Oklahoma City, OK; Karen and her husband, Byron Moore, of Guthrie, OK; Dan and his wife, Francine Baker, of Oklahoma City, OK; Floyd Vinson Baker of Paoli, OK. He is also survived by 9 grandchildren, Dr. Mendy Terrell, MD and her husband, Dr. Jhun Bilbao, MD, of Oklahoma City, OK; Bill III and his wife, Blythe Baker, of Ft. Smith, AR; Logan and his wife, Kristina Baker, of Arkhoma, OK; Ashley Terrell of Oklahoma City, OK; Dr. Kyle Baker, DPT of Oklahoma City, OK; Kirsten Baker of Oklahoma City, OK; Morgan Moore of Guthrie, OK; Betty Ann Baker of Tahlequah, OK; Bryan “Jake” Hulbert of Tulsa, OK; Lexi Baker of Paoli, OK and his 8 great grandchildren, Lucas Terrell Bilbao and Elizabeth Terrell Bilbao of Oklahoma City, OK; Kiersten Baker, Samantha Baker, and Seth Baker of Ft. Smith, AR; Kristofer Baker and Emily Baker of Arkhoma, OK; and Jayla-nae Dean (Moore) of Guthrie, OK.

Funeral Services with Military Honors as a decorated Korean War hero will be held on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 10am at Bill Merritt Funeral Home in Bethany, OK. Burial will follow at 2pm at the Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin, Oklahoma. Pallbearers are Bill Baker, Jr., Bill Baker III, Byron Moore, Dan Baker, Floyd Baker, Dr. Jhun Bilbao, Dr. Kyle Baker, and Logan Baker.