Carl Dariel Baker

Carl Dariel Baker age 79 of Mena, died Thursday, February 11, 2016 at Mena Regional Hospital after sustaining injuries from a vehicle accident on Hwy 8 West.  Dariel was born July 14, 1936 in Shawnee, OK to Claud and Daisy Baker.  He was an only child.

He graduated from Wichita Falls High School and attended Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX where he graduated with a BBA degree from the school of business.  He then

had a 25 year career in banking at First Wichita National where he was Vice President of the Trust Department.

He was a member of the National Guard and served in the Army as a Lieutenant at Ft. Knox, KY, Ft. Sill, OK and Ft. Polk, LA.

He married Norma Elaine Crain January 13, 1995 in Mena.  They were married 21 years at the time of his death.

In Mena Dariel was a realtor, an instructor at RMCC, and was involved with economic development for the city.  He was the manager of Mena Municipal Airport when he retired in 2007.  He was a member of the Arkansas Airport Operators Association since 1990 and served as president from 2005-2007.  He was a member of Lions Club and attended church at The Crossing.

Dariel had many interests including bass fishing, bird hunting, and wood working.  He was a skilled handyman and do-it-yourselfer.  He had a love of automobiles and he loved and valued his acreage and took pride in keeping up his property.  He was always a family man, and he enjoyed his friends. He was quite the conversationalist and humorist who never met a stranger.

Dariel is survived by, wife, Norma Elaine Baker of Mena; son, Bryan Paul Baker of Atlanta; daughter, Jennifer Elaine McCarter of Knoxville; step-sons, Kristopher Byron Clark and Timothy William Clark of Mena; step-daughter, Brandy Clark Benner of Mena and 8 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by, granddaughter Jessica Elise McCarter in 1996.

A funeral service will be held at the Beasley Wood Chapel, officiated by Pastor Victor Rowell, on February 16, 2016 at 2 pm followed by a graveside service at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Cove, under the direction of the Beasley Wood Funeral Home of Mena.

Family and friends visitation will be Monday, February 15, 2016 from 6-8 p.m. at Beasley Wood Funeral Home.

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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