Mrs. Barbara Carol (Mayes) Baker

Barbara Carol Mayes Baker was the last of four siblings. She was the daughter of Bessie Lydia Hansford Mayes and Austin Carroll Mayes (for whom she was named). Barbara was born in Columbia, MO, where her dad taught music at the University of Missouri. She was met at the Gates of Heaven by her parents and siblings Mary Edar, John Mayes, and Bert Mayes. Barbara fought many health issues throughout her life, before complications from kidney cancer finally got the best of her.

Barbara spent her early years in Columbia, MO. Her dad was born and raised in West Texas, and the family moved to Abilene when she was 9. The family had returned to Texas to care for her Grandpa Mayes, but her dad died when she was 11. Barbara listened to him play his violin on the morning of his death. She graduated from Abilene High School in 1961. Barbara was a gifted singer; she remained in Abilene to study music at Hardin-Simmons University. This was only fitting, because her dad was an early clarinet player in the then-Simmons College Cowboy Band. Her brother John also played clarinet in the HSU Cowboy Band. Barbara participated in the Miss Abilene competition about this time. There was an ongoing debate as to how close she actually came to winning.

While a Vocal Performance major at HSU, her friend Patsy Rivers (now Bolin) introduced Barbara to John Baker, a transfer student from Dallas. This friendship grew into something more, before John Baker returned to Dallas to study dentistry at Baylor University College of Dentistry (now A&M School of Dentistry). Barbara graduated from HSU with a Bachelor of Music and a teaching certificate in 1965. She moved to Dallas, where she was respected by her colleagues and loved by her elementary music students in the Dallas Independent School District for seven years.

Barbara married Dr. John Baker at FBC Abilene on January 13, 1968. She happily quit teaching to raise their children, John Thomas Baker Jr. and Shawn Baker (now Maddox). For 30 years, Barbara did everything but the actual dental work alongside Doc Baker in Oak Cliff. She worked through recovery from two near-fatal asthma attacks, previous cancer battles, and a hip replacement. Only in recent years did she become homebound, leaving just to visit all her various medical specialists.

Barbara was blessed to see her daughter married to David Maddox in 2008, and to snuggle often with granddaughter Scarlett while they ate Blue Bell Chocolate Ice Cream and drank miniature Dr Pepper Zero. She never gave up on her family. Her children and granddaughter all know they will see her again in Heaven. Scarlett accepted Christ in the first grade at First Baptist Academy in October and was baptized here at the church two weeks ago. Grandmommie was able to be here. She can rest easy knowing this.

Special thanks to Dr. Tu Dan at UT-Southwestern Medical Center and Dr. Steve Haley at Methodist Medical Center Oak Cliff.

Barbara is survived by husband Dr. John T. Baker, son Johnny, daughter Shawn, son-in-law David, and granddaughter Scarlett, and sister-in-law Jean Baker Weber. She is also survived by nephew Matt Mayes and Mark Weber and nieces Beth Edgar, Jane Williams, Karen Weber, and Liese Hammontree. Barbara is also survived by numerous cousins, other relatives, and best friend Jane Moore as well.

Honorary Pall Bearers: Dr. John Baker, Johnny Baker Jr., John T. “Ted” Boedeker, Jeff Baker, Jason Lamb, Kenneth King, Larry King, Pat Moore, David Maddox, Waymon du Bose Jr.b