Dallas Olen Baker

Dallas Olen Baker, 89, the youngest of five children, born to Emma Covington Baker and Amaziah Eugene Baker on November 30, 1921, in Chireno, Texas, died on Sunday, January 23, 2011, in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Funeral Services will be conducted at Cason Monk-Metcalf Sunset Chapel on Wednesday, January 26, 2011, at 2:00 pm. with Bill Sherrill of North Street Church of Christ officiating. Interment will follow at the Lower Chireno Cemetery with Full Army Honor Rites from the Fort Hood Army Base and the local VFW Post #3893. The Patriot Guard Riders will stand tall and silent as they honor Mr. Baker with a flag line both at the funeral home and at the cemetery.

Dallas attended school in Chireno through the eighth grade, and then in order to work out for football started attending school in Nacogdoches where he eventually became Captain of the Football Team and President of the NHS Senior Class in 1939. Dallas attended Stephen F. Austin Teachers College until the attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941.

Upon hearing that his country was at war, Dallas never went back to class. On the 13th of December he boarded a train to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio thus beginning his Military career which lasted 27 years. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served as Radio Operator on B-17 and B-24 aircrafts in1942. From 1943 to 1945 after commission at OCS, he served as Platoon Leader and Company Commander in Engineer Combat Battalions in England, France, Germany and the Philippines until the end of World War ll.

In direct contact with the enemy in the Philippines in World War II, and with the North Koreans and Chinese in 1952-1953, Dallas relied on the Holy Spirit to guide his path and resolved to live in a way that would help his children and grandchildren to find salvation.

After evaluation of his performance of duties on a one year competitive tour, Dallas was selected for a Regular Army Career and served as Company Commander and Battalion Commander in the Korean War. He held Command and Staff positions in the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and was on the contingency planning staff of the XVlll Airborne Corp from 1950 to 1963. His children had their fondest military memories of their years spent in Fontainebleu, France, from 1956-1960. Dallas was awarded two Bronze Stars for Meritorius Service in Korea and for Cold War Service. During his stay in France, he received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Maryland in Germany with a Major in Military History of the United States and in Military Command Management. From 1963 to 1967, he served as Assistant Professor of Military Science and taught Military History and Tactics in the ROTC Department of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. From 1967 to 1978, he was 2nd Basic Training Battalion Commander at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Dallas retired from the United States Army as Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry in 1968, when he finally came home to Nacogdoches, Texas

During his years in the US Army he received the following medals and commendations: Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Bronze Star Attachment, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal and Japan Clasp, National Defense Service medal with Bronze Star Attachment, Korean Service Medal, Expert Infantryman (Rifleman) Badge, Philippine Liberation Service Medal, Honorable Service Lapel Button WW II, Glider Badge, Parachutist Badge- Master.

Dallas loved making parachute jumps especially on tactical exercises when hundreds of chutes could be in the air at the same time. He was taught to fly an airplane while stationed in Fontainebleu, France, by French and German pilots who did not speak English. He later bought and flew three single engine aircrafts including a new Mooney 201. He traveled on business and pleasure for sixteen years and qualified for multi-engine rating and as an instrument instructor. He flew jump aircraft for the Sky Divers Club at Oklahoma State University and served as a commercial pilot with airport operators in Oklahoma and Texas.

From 1968 to 1970, Dallas was Personnel Director of Lone Star Products in Nacogdoches, and from 1971 to 1982, he was a Real Estate Broker and an Oil and Gas Landman with his son-in-law, Byron McGough.

During the period 1984 to 1992, Dallas wrote articles published in newspapers in Pittsburg, Mount Pleasant, Longview, Gilmer, and Winnsboro which were comments on local, national, and world affairs. He also produced and served in a 30 minute weekly cable television program at 7:30 pm, just before Monday Night Football. This program called “Pittsburg Notebook,” was made up of local and visiting leaders being interviewed to discuss local and world events.

Dallas met Betty Jean Savage of Collinsville, Illinois, on April 9, 1942, while he was stationed at Jefferson Barracks in Scotfield, Illinois. They were married 37 days later and shared the next 37 years until her death on May 30, 1979.

They had two children: Tommy Joe Baker and Kathleen Mary Baker. Kathleen married Byron McGough and they have two children: Lori and Adam. Lori is married to Chris Harkness, and they have three children: Christopher, Chandler, and Hannah. Adam married Lacy McGough, and they have two children: Noah and Cooper. Tommy married Judy Fisher and they had three children; Dallas Joe, Dana, and Jessica. Dallas is married to Kara Fuller. Dana married Kyle Ezer, and they have one daughter, Reagan. Jessica married Craig Hughes, and they have one son, Eric. Tommy died in 1991, and Judy remarried Monte Geddie.

In June of 1981, Dallas married Charlotte Spencer of Pittsburg, Texas and they worked together in her antique furniture business, traveling to England many times before finally settling in Tyler, Texas. Dallas took care of Charlotte as she learned to deal with her blindness that occurred in 1994. She survives him.

Dallas was preceded in death by two brothers: Charles Eugene Baker and Thomas Lee Baker, and two sisters : Imogene Clarice Baker Williamson and Lois Comal Baker Gee.

Dallas loved his four nieces Emily Hester Morrison, Susan Crawford, Lois Lacy, and Jeanne Williamson, and his four nephews: John Olen Baker, Dan Williamson, Charles Gee and Bill Gee.

When asked about what should be said in his obituary, he once replied, “He was here, and now he’s gone.” In keeping with his Military background, his tombstone in the Lower Chireno Cemetery has the words “At Ease” inscribed at the top. He will be buried next to his first wife, Betty Jean.

Dallas was a good husband and father, a courageous soldier in battle, a fierce yet compassionate leader of his own troops, a dedicated teacher, a true gentleman, and a devout Christian who went down on his knees at his bedside for prayer every night of his life. He was an accomplished writer, a talented speaker, a gifted poet, and a song writer. He was always the life of every party with his quick wit. He loved to sing and dance, and he was the #1 fan of his daughter and her singing.

Memorials may be made to the Lower Chireno Perpetual Care Fund/ P.O Box 62/ Chireno, Texas/75937.

Friends and guests may attend visitation at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors at 5400 North Street Nacogdoches, Texas, on Tuesday from 5-7 pm.

Online condolences may be offered at www.casonmonk-metcalf.com