Vera Joy Baker

Vera Joy Baker, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and pillar of her family and community, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2026, at 5:07 a.m. Central Time in Owasso, Oklahoma, at the age of 90. Born on July 27, 1935, in Winganon, Oklahoma, to Prentiss Leroy “P.L.” Hayes and Iva Lavada Hayes, Vera was the younger twin to her brother Leroy by five minutes—a fact he never let her forget. Raised on the family farm along the Verdigris River, she learned the values of hard work, faith, and resilience from an early age, rising at 4:30 a.m. for dairy chores, earning straight A’s, and becoming valedictorian of her class while teaching herself piano from a mail-order book. Vera’s quiet strength was evident in her youth: she endured 13 stitches without a tear and once saved her sister from beneath a spinning truck tire. In 1950, she transferred to Talala High School, where she met her future husband, George Farris Baker Jr. Their courtship unfolded in a 1950 Willys Jeep, with George serenading her with show tunes across rural Oklahoma roads. They married on July 26, 1953, at Winganon Baptist Church, just one day before her 18th birthday, beginning a 63-year partnership filled with love, adventure, and unwavering support. As the wife of an Air Force fighter pilot, Vera held the family together through family deployments to France and England, and during George’s solo tours in Turkey and his combat deployments to Vietnam in 1964 and 1965. She managed moves across continents, raised four sons amid uncertainty, and created homes wherever duty called—from a French village home to an English trailer. After George’s retirement from the Air Force, they returned to the Baker family ranch in Talala, where Vera embraced ranch life, supporting the haying, horses, and hard work while nurturing her family. Vera’s faith and quiet determination shone in her roles as a homemaker, pianist, and community member. She took piano lessons from her mother-in-law, Jeannette Baker, on the family’s 1916 Steinway grand, and her hands—shaped by farm work—brought beauty through music. In later years, she became a devoted teacher in her own right, sharing her love of music and life lessons with those around her. Vera and George traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to support their scattered family, attending grandchildren’s events from soccer championships to school plays in Nebraska, and adventures in Alaska, Germany, and Mexico. Even after George’s passing in 2016, Vera remained the family’s memory keeper, archiving stories, photos, and artifacts that preserved their legacy. Vera is preceded in death by her husband, George Farris Baker Jr.; her parents, P.L. and Iva Hayes; her brothers, Leroy Hayes and Eugene Hayes; and her sister Carol. She is survived by her sisters, Glenda and June; her four sons: George Farris Baker III (Butch) of Owasso, Oklahoma, James Martyn “Pepper” Baker of Laurel, Mississippi, Joel Baker of Talala, Oklahoma, and Jerry Baker of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a wide circle of extended family and friends who cherished her gentle spirit and enduring love. A celebration of Vera’s life will be held at Owasso First Christian Church on January 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Vera’s life was a testament to love, faith, and quiet strength—some enchanted life, indeed. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Vera Joy Baker

July 27, 1935 - January 2, 2026