Billy Ray Baker

Billy Ray Baker, 77, of Wasilla passed away in his home on Thursday Nov. 13, 2014.

He was born in Weatherford, Texas in February 1937. After attending elementary and grade schools, Bill worked on a dairy farm for many years until joining the U.S. Army where he served for eight years, earning a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. As a civilian he worked as a millwright; he retired from the engineering department of Dell Computers in Round Rock, Texas in 1998. He has lived in Tennessee, New Jersey, Texas, and Pennsylvania where he met his wife of 41 years, Barbara.

Surviving are his wife, Barbara; daughters, Jeannette of Hutto, Texas, Pamela of Dallas, Texas, Deena of Wasilla, Alaska, Allyson of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Amy of Gadsden, Alabama; sons, Samuel of Flower Mound, Texas, Walter of Sackets Harbor, New York, and Andrew of Halifax, Pennsylvania; 13 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; and, as he was constantly reminded, six granddogs, and one grandcat.

A memorial service is at 4 p.m., Nov. 21 at Valley Funeral Home in Wasilla.

Arrangements were cared for by Valley Funeral Home, Wasilla Chapel. A guestbook and obituary are online at AlaskanFuneral.com.