Thurman Baker

Thurman Lewis Baker, funeral service is 11:00 AM, Thursday, March 13, 2014 at the Forest Baptist Church, 23240 NE 153rd Avenue, FT McCoy, Florida with Reverend Tommy Gray, to officiate. Graveside honors and burial will be 2:30 PM, Thursday, March 13,2 014 at the Florida National Cemetery, 6602 SW 102nd Avenue, Bushnell, Florida with the Marion County Honor Guard, officiating. The family will receive friends at the church on Thursday morning from 9:00 AM until service time.

He was born to Mary Bell Ammons and William E. Baker on August 12, 1928 in a small town in Georgia. He moved to Florida in 1951 where he joined the US Army in 1952. He served in the front lines of Korea and received many service medals including one Bronze Star; a Combat Medic Badge; National Defense Service Medal and a United Nations Service Medal. After his honorable discharge, November 25, m1953, he returned home to the beautiful Betty Jean Johnson, his fiancé and they were married December 12, 1953 at East Hillsborough Baptist Church. They were married for 5 years then welcomed baby girl into their lives, Katherine Louise Baker, who precedes him in death. In 1962, they were blessed with a baby boy, Donald Lewis Baker who was born July 24. In 1974, Gregory Lee Baker was born and finally there family was complete.

CAREER: He retired from AMTRACK in 1996. He was a heavy equipment operator for them. He also retired in 1996 from Bank of America of which he was the head of security. He worked these jobs the majority of his life. He was a hard worker and a good provider. Even after retiring, he still worked placed such as Georgia Pacific and security jobs at different places.

RESIDENCE: They lived in Tampa until 1997 and then moved to Ocala where they currently reside. He was a dreamer. He wanted to build a house in the mountains and move there one day.

FAMILY: He is survived by his brother, William; sisters, Geraldine and Juanita. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Katherine Louise Baker. He has 8 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He was also proud of grandchildren and their accomplishments and cherished every moment he got to spend with each and every one of them.

Veterans Funeral Care 727-524-9202