Judge Wayne Reed Baker Sr., 78, died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2002, at his residence in Goodrich.
He was born May 26, 1923 in Port Arthur, the son of Willie and Vielater Goodson Baker.
After receiving his education at the University of Texas and Sam Houston State University, he entered the Army in February of 1943 as a combat engineer. Basic training was near Boston, followed by a transfer to the Air Force Cadets and in June of 1944, when the Army sent all former ground force personnel back to the ground forces, he ended up with "D" Co., 345th Rev. 87th Inf. Div. stationed in Ft. Jackson, S.C. In the fall of 1944, he went to the European Theatre, fighting into the Saar Valley and the Seigfried Line. He experienced the main fighting of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne and St. Vith, where a large percentage of his company was captured. He fought in several major battles across Europe and was one half mile outside of Czechoslovakia when the war was over.
After returning to civilian life, he spent several years running his construction company in Pt. Arthur and, in 1947, purchased his ranch outside of Livingston and became a full-time rancher. He married Virginia Faye Wright in College Station on March 29, 1952. Judge Baker was a member of the First Baptist Church in Goodrich. Judge Baker served his church as training union leader. He coached Little League for years and was a lifetime member of the VFW and the American Legion. Judge Baker was a member of the Lions Club in Livingston and served as president. He was named Polk Countian of the Year in 1990.
Judge Baker served as county judge for 16 years, from 1975 through 1990. He was chairman of S.E. Texas Resource Conservation and Development. Inc. and chairman of the Polk-San Jacinto Soil & Water Conservation District for 32 years. Judge Baker received the Bill Clements' Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership in Agriculture, the Ralph W. Steen East Texan of the Year Award and served as president of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments from 1985-88.
Judge Baker also received the Texas Department of Transportation's Road Hand Award. His efforts to develop better transportation in Polk County included his donation of personal property for FM 1988 improvements. He also donated land for the construction of FM 3278 and played a key role in linking Polk and San Jacinto counties with this road and bridge located below Lake Livingston Dam.
Judge Baker was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Virginia Faye Baker of Livingston; two sons and daughters-in-law, Wayne Reed Jr. and Sherry Cassity Baker and Wright B. and Debbie Baker of Livingston; one grandson, Cody Davis and two granddaughters, Ginger Baker and Lindsey Baker of Livingston; sister, Laura McAdams of Houston; and brother, W.W. Baker of Dallas.
Funeral services were held Friday, Feb. 1, at the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel. Military honors were provided by VFW Post 8568.
Burial was in Wright Cemetery in Onalaska.
obituary edited.
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He was born May 26, 1923 in Port Arthur, the son of Willie and Vielater Goodson Baker.
After receiving his education at the University of Texas and Sam Houston State University, he entered the Army in February of 1943 as a combat engineer. Basic training was near Boston, followed by a transfer to the Air Force Cadets and in June of 1944, when the Army sent all former ground force personnel back to the ground forces, he ended up with "D" Co., 345th Rev. 87th Inf. Div. stationed in Ft. Jackson, S.C. In the fall of 1944, he went to the European Theatre, fighting into the Saar Valley and the Seigfried Line. He experienced the main fighting of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne and St. Vith, where a large percentage of his company was captured. He fought in several major battles across Europe and was one half mile outside of Czechoslovakia when the war was over.
After returning to civilian life, he spent several years running his construction company in Pt. Arthur and, in 1947, purchased his ranch outside of Livingston and became a full-time rancher. He married Virginia Faye Wright in College Station on March 29, 1952. Judge Baker was a member of the First Baptist Church in Goodrich. Judge Baker served his church as training union leader. He coached Little League for years and was a lifetime member of the VFW and the American Legion. Judge Baker was a member of the Lions Club in Livingston and served as president. He was named Polk Countian of the Year in 1990.
Judge Baker served as county judge for 16 years, from 1975 through 1990. He was chairman of S.E. Texas Resource Conservation and Development. Inc. and chairman of the Polk-San Jacinto Soil & Water Conservation District for 32 years. Judge Baker received the Bill Clements' Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership in Agriculture, the Ralph W. Steen East Texan of the Year Award and served as president of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments from 1985-88.
Judge Baker also received the Texas Department of Transportation's Road Hand Award. His efforts to develop better transportation in Polk County included his donation of personal property for FM 1988 improvements. He also donated land for the construction of FM 3278 and played a key role in linking Polk and San Jacinto counties with this road and bridge located below Lake Livingston Dam.
Judge Baker was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Virginia Faye Baker of Livingston; two sons and daughters-in-law, Wayne Reed Jr. and Sherry Cassity Baker and Wright B. and Debbie Baker of Livingston; one grandson, Cody Davis and two granddaughters, Ginger Baker and Lindsey Baker of Livingston; sister, Laura McAdams of Houston; and brother, W.W. Baker of Dallas.
Funeral services were held Friday, Feb. 1, at the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel. Military honors were provided by VFW Post 8568.
Burial was in Wright Cemetery in Onalaska.
obituary edited.
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Judge Wayne Reed Baker Sr., 78, died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2002, at his residence in Goodrich.
He was born May 26, 1923 in Port Arthur, the son of Willie and Vielater Goodson Baker.
After receiving his education at the University of Texas and Sam Houston State University, he entered the Army in February of 1943 as a combat engineer. Basic training was near Boston, followed by a transfer to the Air Force Cadets and in June of 1944, when the Army sent all former ground force personnel back to the ground forces, he ended up with "D" Co., 345th Rev. 87th Inf. Div. stationed in Ft. Jackson, S.C. In the fall of 1944, he went to the European Theatre, fighting into the Saar Valley and the Seigfried Line. He experienced the main fighting of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne and St. Vith, where a large percentage of his company was captured. He fought in several major battles across Europe and was one half mile outside of Czechoslovakia when the war was over.
After returning to civilian life, he spent several years running his construction company in Pt. Arthur and, in 1947, purchased his ranch outside of Livingston and became a full-time rancher. He married Virginia Faye Wright in College Station on March 29, 1952. Judge Baker was a member of the First Baptist Church in Goodrich. Judge Baker served his church as training union leader. He coached Little League for years and was a lifetime member of the VFW and the American Legion. Judge Baker was a member of the Lions Club in Livingston and served as president. He was named Polk Countian of the Year in 1990.
Judge Baker served as county judge for 16 years, from 1975 through 1990. He was chairman of S.E. Texas Resource Conservation and Development. Inc. and chairman of the Polk-San Jacinto Soil & Water Conservation District for 32 years. Judge Baker received the Bill Clements' Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership in Agriculture, the Ralph W. Steen East Texan of the Year Award and served as president of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments from 1985-88.
Judge Baker also received the Texas Department of Transportation's Road Hand Award. His efforts to develop better transportation in Polk County included his donation of personal property for FM 1988 improvements. He also donated land for the construction of FM 3278 and played a key role in linking Polk and San Jacinto counties with this road and bridge located below Lake Livingston Dam.
Judge Baker was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Virginia Faye Baker of Livingston; two sons and daughters-in-law, Wayne Reed Jr. and Sherry Cassity Baker and Wright B. and Debbie Baker of Livingston; one grandson, Cody Davis and two granddaughters, Ginger Baker and Lindsey Baker of Livingston; sister, Laura McAdams of Houston; and brother, W.W. Baker of Dallas.
Funeral services were held Friday, Feb. 1, at the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel. Military honors were provided by VFW Post 8568.
Burial was in Wright Cemetery in Onalaska.
obituary edited.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He was born May 26, 1923 in Port Arthur, the son of Willie and Vielater Goodson Baker.
After receiving his education at the University of Texas and Sam Houston State University, he entered the Army in February of 1943 as a combat engineer. Basic training was near Boston, followed by a transfer to the Air Force Cadets and in June of 1944, when the Army sent all former ground force personnel back to the ground forces, he ended up with "D" Co., 345th Rev. 87th Inf. Div. stationed in Ft. Jackson, S.C. In the fall of 1944, he went to the European Theatre, fighting into the Saar Valley and the Seigfried Line. He experienced the main fighting of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne and St. Vith, where a large percentage of his company was captured. He fought in several major battles across Europe and was one half mile outside of Czechoslovakia when the war was over.
After returning to civilian life, he spent several years running his construction company in Pt. Arthur and, in 1947, purchased his ranch outside of Livingston and became a full-time rancher. He married Virginia Faye Wright in College Station on March 29, 1952. Judge Baker was a member of the First Baptist Church in Goodrich. Judge Baker served his church as training union leader. He coached Little League for years and was a lifetime member of the VFW and the American Legion. Judge Baker was a member of the Lions Club in Livingston and served as president. He was named Polk Countian of the Year in 1990.
Judge Baker served as county judge for 16 years, from 1975 through 1990. He was chairman of S.E. Texas Resource Conservation and Development. Inc. and chairman of the Polk-San Jacinto Soil & Water Conservation District for 32 years. Judge Baker received the Bill Clements' Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership in Agriculture, the Ralph W. Steen East Texan of the Year Award and served as president of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments from 1985-88.
Judge Baker also received the Texas Department of Transportation's Road Hand Award. His efforts to develop better transportation in Polk County included his donation of personal property for FM 1988 improvements. He also donated land for the construction of FM 3278 and played a key role in linking Polk and San Jacinto counties with this road and bridge located below Lake Livingston Dam.
Judge Baker was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Virginia Faye Baker of Livingston; two sons and daughters-in-law, Wayne Reed Jr. and Sherry Cassity Baker and Wright B. and Debbie Baker of Livingston; one grandson, Cody Davis and two granddaughters, Ginger Baker and Lindsey Baker of Livingston; sister, Laura McAdams of Houston; and brother, W.W. Baker of Dallas.
Funeral services were held Friday, Feb. 1, at the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel. Military honors were provided by VFW Post 8568.
Burial was in Wright Cemetery in Onalaska.
obituary edited.
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