Jerry Baker

Services for Jerry Wayne Baker, 53, Tyler, are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 27, 2006, at Stewart Family Funeral Chapel with Dr. V. M. Robertson and Rev. Rudy Bond officiating. Burial will be in Whitehouse Cemetery under direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Baker, a Tyler area music educator and minister, passed away Friday, March 24, 2006 after a lengthy battle with several illnesses. He was born January 9, 1953 in Nampa, Idaho to Cleatus and the late Inez Baker, and raised in the Tri Cities, Washington, graduating from Kennewick High School. Jerry began traveling in evangelistic work at the age of 15, working with such well known groups as the Bill Carter Singers and Evangelist Lee Gerard as song leader, guitarist and preacher. He married Rebecca Flaten on December 22, 1972 in Park River, North Dakota. She survives, as do three children, Jared Baker and wife Jessica of Alexandria, Louisiana, Rachelle Harp and husband Matthew of Providence Village, Texas, and Shannon Baker of Austin; four grandchildren, Elizabeth, Hannah, and twins, Jonathan and Nathaniel Baker, as well as his father, Cleatus Baker and stepmother, Nellie; step-brothers, Douglas and Ronald Bedair. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Jason, his mother, Hattie Inez Baker, and a sister, Wanda Garrett. Jerry and his wife Rebecca traveled throughout the United States in concerts and evangelist work for seven years prior to pastoring Calvary Temple in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and moving to Tyler in 1981. Here they worked for Evangelist R. W. Schambach and later as music directors in several churches. Jerry was well known for his virtuoso guitar playing. The couple founded Psalmist Ministries International and Psalmist School of Music in 1983, both of which continue on. He had been ordained with the Pentecostal Church of God and licensed with the Ministerial Fellowship of U.S.A. In addition to preaching and teaching private music instruction, Jerry was an engineer and producer in his own recording studio and was involved in video production and editing for New Life Community Church, which he attended, as well as the TV program he and his wife produced for seven years, "Proclaim His Glory!", airing on syndicated stations and several networks across the country. He was also involved in extensive research and writings involving the Pentecostal and Hebraic roots movements, as well as genealogy. He traced his roots back to King Charlemagne, the high kings of Scotland and Ireland, and ultimately King David. He was an avid member of the East Texas chapter of the Pineywood Buckskinners. Pallbearers will be Samuel Chambers, Thomas Kuhn, Dale Moran, Nathaniel Moran, Michael Rodberg, Mark Armstrong, Leo Berman, and Bobby Nick. Honorary Pallbearers are the members of the Pineywood Buckskinners. The family will receive friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Sunday at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy., south Tyler 75703. If desired, memorials in honor of Mr. Baker may be made to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, 75701, or Psalmist School of Music Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 4126, Tyler 75712.

Jerry Baker

January 9, 1953 - March 24, 2006