William "Derrell" Baker

Graveside services for William “Derrell” Baker, 87, of Wills Point, TX, is scheduled for 11:00 AM, Saturday, October 1, 2022, at White Rose Cemetery.

Derrell passed away on Sunday, September 25, 2022, at his home.

William “Derrell” Baker was born on March 23, 1935, in Wills Point, Texas, to parents Fred Baker and Ellen Elizabeth Greenway Baker. He graduated from Wills Point High School in 1952. Derrell married Evelyn Marie Laney on September 16, 1955, at the First Baptist Church in Wills Point. He and Evelyn lived in Dallas for 30 years and raised four children there. Derrell was a member of Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church in Dallas and a founding board member of the Resource One Credit Union (Sears Federal Credit Union).  He worked for 40 years at Sears, Roebuck and Co. as a supervisor before retiring in 1992.

Derrell’s two sons were involved with the Boy Scouts of America and he served in leadership roles for 20 years with the organization.  Derrell and Evelyn moved back to Wills Point in 1987 to their farm “Bakers Acres” so named by the Boy Scouts. They hosted many events for the Boy Scouts, family reunions, and Sears company employees and retirees. He and Evelyn were members of the Free State Sam’s Camping Club of Van Zandt County. Evelyn preceded him in death on December 11, 2003.

Derrell was an active member of New Release Fellowship in Wills Point. Derrell married Eleta Nelson in 2006 who also preceded him in death in 2020. He was on the Board of Director’s for White Rose Cemetery.  Derrell loved his farm and spent 35 years in retirement raising cattle, cutting and baling hay, and sharing vegetables from his garden with his family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Bessie Baker; his wife, Evelyn Baker; sisters, Dorothy Burleson, Christine Brockman and Vernell Parsons; brothers, Richard Baker, Eugene Baker and Leon Baker.

Derrell is survived by his two sons, Steve Baker and wife MaryAnn of Wills Point, and Wesley Baker and wife Pam of Sunnyvale, TX; two daughters, Sandra Fink and husband Ken of Bella Vista, AR and Beverly Prachyl and husband Alan of Wills Point; sister Beatrice Turner and husband Jim of Wills Point; twelve grandchildren, Will Prachyl and wife Robin, Jennifer Beard and husband Justin, Spencer Reneau and Lindsay Sell, Jake Baker, Kasi Williams and husband Zach, Nathan Baker, Rachel Baker, Charlotte Hazzard and husband Brandyn, Vanessa Alston, James Cogburn, Marissa Cogburn and Ava Mitchell; twelve great grandchildren, Nolan Reneau, Alexis Prachyl, Granger Prachyl, Luke Williams, Laney Williams, Zeppelin Reneau, Eli Beard, Evelyn Baker Beard, Hayden Hall, Henley Hazzard, Randi Hazzard and one baby girl on the way. 

Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 PM, Friday, September 30, 2022, at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wills Point ISD Educational Foundation, New Release Fellowship Church, or White Rose Cemetery.

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