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Coy Lee Baker — father, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather — passed from this life while at home in Perry, Florida, with family, on Aug. 22, 2020. He was 83 years old.
He was born on Nov. 11, 1936, in Cameron, Missouri, and was the fifth of 11 children. His parents were Wayne and Anna Mary Baker.
In 1941, Coy’s family moved from Missouri to Powell, where he grew up. He enjoyed high school wrestling and was Wyoming state champion three times. He graduated from Powell High School. Later, Coy served in the U.S. Army as an MP in California, where he guarded a missile base with his dog Schautze. There he met Arlene Jo Grundhauser. Coy and Arlene married on April 1, 1960. They were together 60 years and raised five children.
Coy was a Christian all of his adult life. He enjoyed occasionally preaching a sermon from God’s word. He was a member of the Church of Christ.
Coy and Arlene soon moved to Powell, where Coy farmed sugar beets, barley, alfalfa hay, and pinto beans for the next 38 years. During this period, he also operated the Baker Bean mill for several years. He won the Wyoming Outstanding Young Farmer award early in his career.
Coy and Arlene then moved to Billings, Montana, where he did long-haul trucking for the next 15 years. Coy loved to talk about flying his airplane, Ford trucks, John Deere tractors, and farming. Six years ago, Coy and Arlene moved to Perry. He worked at Walmart for a couple years.
Coy is survived by his wife Arlene; children, Randy Baker (Tammie) of Perry, John Baker of Golden, Colorado, Jeff Baker (Kara) of Casper, Wyoming, Susan Baker McMillan (Rob) of St. Albert, Alberta Canada, and Todd Baker (Kim) of Loveland, Colorado; 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. Surviving siblings are Kenneth Baker (Elouise) of Powell, Ima Jean Johnson of Pittsfield, Illinois, Lowell Baker of Cody, Wilma Benson (Jerry) of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, Max Baker (Nancy) of Powell, Harvey Baker of Powell, Marjorie Parker (Mike) of Powell, and Dorthy Kister of Powell.
Sisters Alice Buhler and Mary Lou McCown preceded him in death.
A memorial is planned at Spring Warrior Church of Christ in Perry, on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 4 p.m. Interment is planned for June 2021 in Powell.
