C.C. "Pinky" Baker Jr.

Services for Clifford Charles Baker, 74, of Tyler, will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 3:30 PM at Marvin United Methodist Church in Tyler with Dr. Doug Baker, Dr. Paul Powell, Dr. Chris Pulliam and Bishop Joseph Strickland officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Baker passed away on Friday, November 28, 2014 at The Hospice of East Texas in Tyler. He was born August 26, 1940 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to C.C. and Grace Baker. Mr. Baker was a graduate of John Tyler High School and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Texas Christian University. He had twenty-five years’ experience in education as a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent. Mr. Baker then served as Vice President of Development and Foundation Executive Director at Tyler Junior College where he revitalized the dormant foundation to national recognition. He continued in development work serving as Vice President of Development and Foundation Executive Director for the Trinity Mother Frances Health System. For more than three decades he was a very active volunteer consultant for many non-profit organizations. After his retirement, he continued his volunteer service as a fundraiser and consultant for more than thirty local and regional organizations and groups. He was a founding member of the Cancer Foundation for Life as well as the following: Champions for Children, Children Are a Gift (Children’s Park), and the Discovery Science Place. Mr. Baker served on many boards and was past president of several of them including East Texas Mental Health Association, East Texas State Fair, PATH, Smith County Association for Retarded Citizens and Meals on Wheels. Other projects and areas of service include Carnegie History Center, Community Partner of Tyler/Rainbow Room, East Texas Economic Development Council, East Texas Workforce Development Board, Heart of Tyler, Kiwanis Club past President and project chairman for the Kiwanis Children’s Place at the Andrews Center, Prevent Blindness, Mike Carter Baseball Field project renovation, SportTyler for the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Tyler Junior College Foundation and Tyler Independent School District Foundation, and most recently, Mr. Baker was the founding president of the Samaritan Counseling Center of Tyler. Mr. Baker was recently honored on November 6, 2014 by the East Texas Center for Nonprofits to be their first recipient of a new Nonprofit Leadership Award given in recognition of someone who has made a significant impact in the community through long term service and a history in board leadership in the East Texas Nonprofit Community. Mr. Baker was a member of the First Christian Church of Tyler. He was preceded in death by his parents, C.C. and Grace Baker; brother, Dennis Baker and a daughter, Alison Joy Baker. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Baker of Tyler; son, Joel Baker and his wife Melanie of Tyler; two brothers, David Baker and his wife Joy of Round Rock and Larry Baker and his wife Anita of Fruitvale; two sisters, Ardath Clifton and husband Larry of Austin and Karen Daudelin and husband Don of Bloomington, Illinois; his beloved grandchildren, Coleman, Mallory and Griffin Baker as well as many nieces and nephews and other relatives. Pallbearers will be Charles Hall, Tracy Lisner, Jim Lozier, Fabio Martinez, Andy Navarro, Lonny Uzzell, Andy Wall and John Webb. Honorary pallbearers will be Alvin Anderson, Dr. Duane Andrews, Jerry Atherton, Harold Beaird, Herbert Buie, Hudson Geddie, Jimmy Hayes, Dr. Gary Kimmel, Robert Patterson, Jim Plyler, Dr. Bill Scroggins, Dr. David Teegarden, and Dr. Pat Thomas. Visitation is scheduled from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. If desired, memorials may be made to: The Children’s Park of Tyler, 5380 Old Bullard Rd., Suite 600-122, Tyler 75703; the Samaritan Counseling Center of Tyler, 100 E. Ferguson, Suite 608, Tyler 75702; the Cancer Foundation for Life, P.O. Box 8257, Tyler 75711; First Christian Church, 4202 S. Broadway, Tyler 75701; the Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler 75701; Meals on Wheels Ministry, P.O. Box 5475, Tyler 75712; PATH, 402 W. Front St., Tyler 75702; or a charity of your choice.

C.C. "Pinky" Baker Jr.

August 26, 1940 - November 28, 2014