Willus Dee Baker left his earthly home on Friday, July 13, 2018, to join his beloved wife, Nancy. Dee passed away following a brief illness at the age of 86, in Snowflake. He was born Oct. 21, 1931, in Louisville, Ky., to Elisha H. Baker and the former Hazel Winkler. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Holbrook Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 1127 Helen Ave., with a get-together following at Dee’s home in Woodruff. Dee and Nancy’s ashes will be scattered at a later date on the ranch he and his family once owned in Reserve, N.M. Dee’s family settled in Albuquerque, N.M., when he was a boy after his mother contracted tuberculosis. She passed away when he was eight years old. Dee married Lois May Israel, but the marriage ended in divorce. He then married the love of his life, Nancy Camp. Dee was blessed with three sons, Earl Dee (Sylvia), David Lee (Cindy) and BJ; and a stepson, Scott (Barbara) Weatherford. Dee followed his brother, Robert, into the US Marine Corps. during the Korean Conflict. He never saw action in Korea but was the flight engineer for his brother’s bomber, flying training missions between Puerto Rico and Miami, Fla. Following his discharge from the Marines, Dee continued his life of a cowboy. He was a master storyteller and could remember every detail of his experiences. He was extremely proud of his grandchildren, Shelly Lesueur (Chad), K’Dawn Jackson, Brandon (Rachael), Shiloh Branigan (Stephen), Shannon, Ty, Sydney Weatherford, Brandon, Damon and Gabriel; and his great grandchildren, Chazlin LeSueur, Madison Jackson, Audie Baker and Winston Baker. Dee was one of four children, Robert, Christine Farmer and Lenora Lomax. All preceded him in death. Owens Livingston Mortuary-Heritage Chapel in Snowflake handled the arrangements.
