02/14/2026
Jerry Samuel Baker, aka “Shake n Bake” was born May 1, 1942, in Moran, KS to E.R. “Bud” and Charlotte Baker. He had two older sisters, Dolores and Nancy. The family moved to Amarillo when Jerry was 4 years old. He attended Amarillo High School and graduated from Tascosa High School. He played football and went to Panhandle State University on a football scholarship. He also attended night classes at Dallas College of SMU.
He worked for the State Comptroller from 1964 to 1972, when he moved to Amarillo and opened a bookkeeping and tax service. He entered the insurance business in 1980 and was a partner in Denton and Baker Insurance from 1999 until 2021. He was a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable.
He joined AA in 1993, and his life was saved. His relationship with God was very important to him. That belief was all that kept him sober every day.
One of his joys was being a Kids Inc. soccer coach. He always loved the guys remembering those times with him even after they were grown men. He was a member of the Amarillo Convention and Visitors Board in the 1970’s and traveled extensively promoting Amarillo.
He loved playing golf, and shot his age when he was 72, followed by his first hole-in-one at the Ryan Palmer Foundation Tournament in 2015. He always said any day on the golf course was a wonderful day. He was the founder and director of the Nose Golf Classic.
Instead of “goodbye,” he always said, “Rock N Roll.”
He is survived by his wife, Sharon Kay Baker; two sons, Christopher Brent, and Samuel Blaine Baker; two daughters, Perri West and Heather Carlton; grandchildren, Jude Louis and Gabriel Samuel Baker, Jordan (Ryan) Mosley, Winston (Kali) Kimball, Quincy (Emily), and Quade Carlton; and great-grandchildren, Corbyn Gwin, Kaedyn and Braylon Kimball, Rowyn and Linkyn Mosley, and Kane Carlton.
Memorials may be given to The Nose Golf Classic (benefiting the Ryan Palmer Foundation) 53 Cottonwood Lane, Canyon TX 79015.
A Celebration of Jerry’s life will be at 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 20, 2026, at Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel, 2800 Paramount Blvd. Arrangements by Boxwell Brothers, Amarillo, Texas.
Sign the online guestbook at www.boxwellbrothers.com
