Services for Gordon Clyde Baker, 91, who died July 12, 1995 at the Tekamah Nursing Center in Tekamah were Friday, July 14 at the United Methodist Church in Tekamah. Rev. Judith Clark-Wharton officiated. Burial was in the Tekamah Cemetery.

Gordon Clyde Baker was born March 29, 1904 at the Baker home by the Missouri River, seven miles east of Tekamah in the Arizona Township to David Laroy and Lettie Bean Baker.

In 1912, he and his parents moved to a new home 3.5 miles east of Tekamah. He was baptized and confirmed in the United Methodist Church in Tekamah. He attended District No. 2 Spillmenn School and attended Tekamah High School until he was 18.

He worked at the Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota State Fairs for several summers.

He married Julia Wassem September 11, 1924 in Missouri Valley, Iowa. They lived on a farm east of Tekamah most of their married lives.

Their son, Gordon Leroy was born June 28, 1926. In July, 1936, they adopted two-year-old Mary Elizabeth, the baby of three children born to Julia’s sister, Josephine Sage, who died in January of 1936.

During his early years of farming, he used mules and farmed 530 acres at one time. He retired from farming in 1966, but continued to be involved by working for other area farmers at harvest time, hauling grain, retiring from that in 1983.

In 1964, he went to work for the American Bowling Congress in California, scoring tournaments and supervising scorekeepers, after having done that at the Omaha All-Stars since 1960. He retired from that in 1980.

He also kept score for the Junior Legion for many years and in 1992 he received the “Outstanding Fan” award from the Tekamah-Herman Athletic program. In 1993, he received an appreciation award for “Recognition Outstanding Service of Appreciation.”

He served on the District No. 2 School Board, the Election Board and the Burt/Washington Insurance Board. He belonged to the Odd Fellows and received a 25 year jewel.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Julia in 1994; one sister and two brothers. He is survived by his daughter, Mary Christensen of Arlington; a son, Gordon L. Baker of Greshan, Oregon; three grandchildren, Laurie Baker Remington, Daniel Christensen and Alan Christensen and four great-grandchildren, Justin Remington, Kyle Remington, Evan Christensen and Raymond Christensen.

Hamel-Peck-Pelan Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~