COLBERT L. “BUD” BAKER JR.
1925-2017
Colbert L. “Bud” Baker, Jr. of Marco Island, FL., went to be with the “Great Spirit” on Friday, March 3, 2017. Bud was born April 14, 1925 to Colbert “Lat” Baker and Lois Brunt Baker in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is survived by his three sons, Tim and his angel of a wife Charmaine who helped our father to the happy hunting ground, John and his wife Donna and Brad and his wife Jean, and his beloved Michelle “Missy” Boggs Roys. Grandchildren include Christy, Cydne, Beau, EMcCready, Kristin and John Redding Baker. Grandchildren Kelly and Robert reside in the Sooner State, Bud was an Oklahoma Sooner grad! Other Grandchildren Sarah and Jocelyn Baker live in Montana and California. The Chief also had about 20 great grandchildren, give or take one or two!
He loved his family, he loved music, he could whip anyone in the family in tennis and he loved angel food cake made by his mom! He loved a little cocktail now and then!
Bud served in WWII and the Korean War and was a Lt. in the US Navy. After the War, Bud founded a number of successful companies in his life with Chickasaw Distributors in Houston, Texas being his last and most successful. His successes were due, by his own account and in no small part, to the talents and knowledge of Debbie Hebert, Travis Baugh, Richard Head, and Steve Wells and many others!
He was also very proud of his friendship and long time relationship with Jeanie Cooper who was the long time star of The Young and The Restless. She helped him, along with son Tim, to found a first class medical treatment facility in Midland, Tx named The Springboard Center.
Inspired by The Great Spirit, Baker was visionary in his approach to all things. He found the best in his fellow humans and loved them to a fault. He grew kinder and wiser and aged well like fine wine! Sitting in his Marco Island penthouse, Bud surveyed the beach below with the Pelicans and the Osprey drifting by his lanai as he lazed in his recliner. He often reflected, “I don’t think I could’ve done finer.” He expressed how grateful he was to get to spend many, many years with all his friends, on Marco and ended his tour sitting in his favorite chair looking out on the handiwork of the Great Spirit.
Bud, a proud member of the Great Chickasaw Nation, will be laid to rest in the cemetery at Chandler, OK, after we confirm that he’s safely in the great beyond and not having dinner and cocktails with friends at Chops 239 on Marco.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the scholarship fund at the Colbert Latimer “Bud” Baker Scholarship c/o Chickasaw Foundation PO Box 1726, Ada, Ok. 748211726 or The Springboard Center 200 Corporate Drive, Midland, Tx. 79705 in honor of C. L. Baker, Jr.