Betty Jane Baker

Funeral Services for Betty Baker, 85, Sentinel resident will be held 2:00 P.M., Monday, January 24, 2022, in the Sentinel First Baptist Church, officiated by Pastor Craig Towery. Burial will follow in the Sentinel Cemetery under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Betty Jane Duncan Baker was born to William Audley and Ida Mae (Lee) Duncan, March 9, 1936, at their home 4 miles north of Sentinel. She attended Port School from 1st thru 8th grades. While skating at the Dill City Skating Rink Betty met Ray Junior “Buddy” Baker. He asked after knowing her a short time if she had graduated and she said “Yes”, (but she failed to say it was from the 8th grade). They dated a short time and married on August 12, 1950. Betty was 14 and Buddy was 20. To their union was born Ricky Ray on May 28, 1952, and Treasa Kay on April 8, 1954. Betty helped with the farm work, milking the cows, chopping cotton, raising a garden and whatever else was needed. She also worked as the Secretary at Sentinel Coop Gin 1957-1963 and then worked for J.C. Hill Insurance Agency from 1964 to 1967. Betty also worked summers at Bunge and Rocky Elevators. She finished high school by correspondence and received her diploma the same year as her former classmates graduated high school. She started pursuing a teaching career in 1967 and completed her bachelor’s degree, with honors, the same week of May 1972 as Treasa and Rhonda graduated from Sentinel High School and Ricky graduated from Sayre Junior College. She went on to get her master’s degree and only lacked writing a thesis to receive her Doctorate, all the time taking care of her family. She taught Junior and Senior High School Science, Government and History at Sentinel for 22 years before retiring to take care of Buddy. She was also the school counselor for several years helping numerous students obtain college scholarship and served as the Leader for the Jr-Sr. 4-H and Jr-Sr. Academic teams as well as being the Beta Club Sponsor. Betty continued substitute teaching until the age of 81 when her health no longer allowed her to do what she loved. Children were her passion. Betty enjoyed sewing, cooking for her family, reading, painting, playing dominoes, playing board games and cards with her friends and family. She was never happier than when she was surrounded by her family and friends, especially her children, grands and great grandchildren. She shared her wisdom with us all. She loved to read to her babies, had the patience to teach them to sew and cook. Her greatest desire was for all her children, grands and great grands to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Betty was a member of the First Baptist Church of Sentinel, Oklahoma 70 plus years. She was active in the Port Country Cousins community service group. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Junior “Buddy” Baker, her parents Audley and Ida Mae Duncan, grand son-in-law, Keith Fletcher, and her grandparents. Surviving are her children, Ricky Ray Baker, and his wife Rhonda, of Sentinel, OK and Treasa Kay Baker, of Guthrie, OK. Grand children, Suzi Jo Fletcher of Frederick, OK, Jodi Kay Sassano and husband Chance of Dallas, TX; Jarod Ray Baker and Susan of Sentinel, OK. Great grandchildren, Kaylee Ann Smith, and husband Ben of Hobart, OK; Jacob Ray Baker and Zada Brooke Baker, Sentinel, OK; Elizabeth Ann Sassano, Dallas, TX; Ethan Wayne Fletcher and Emma Blake Fletcher of Frederick, OK along with numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flower donations may be made to the Washita County 4-H Scholarship Fund by making checks payable to: Oklahoma 4-H Foundation, in the Memo specify “Washita County Endowment” in memory of Betty Baker. Mail the checks to the Washita County Extension Office, 125 W. Main, Cordell, OK 73632.