May 15, 1935 – April 11, 2022

Funeral services for Henery “Wayne” Baker, 86, of Luverne, Minn., were held April 15, 2022, 1:30 p.m. at the American Reformed Church in Luverne. Burial was held at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Luverne.

Henry “Wayne” Baker was born May 15, 1935, to Joe and Edna (Vander Haar) Baker on the family farm in Rock County, Minnesota. He was baptized into the faith at the Steen Reformed Church in Steen, Minn. He grew up on the family farm by Luverne, Minn., and attended Country School District #4. He attended one year of high school at Luverne High School before leaving school to work on the farm after his father suffered a farming accident. Wayne enlisted in the National Guard and served with the Luverne unit for the next 9 years, being honorably discharged in 1962. In addition to farming the land, Wayne and his father were partners in raising turkeys and laying hens for several years.

On April 24, 1959, Wayne was united in marriage to Margie Miersma at the Valley Springs Reformed Church in Valley Springs, S.D. The couple first settled on a farm near Luverne and then later moved to Leota, Minn., in 1973. Wayne farmed and worked at Tinklenberg Lumber and also did some truck driving for several individuals in the area. After retiring in 2005 Wayne and Margie moved back to Luverne.

On Monday, April 11, 2022, Wayne died peacefully at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage surrounded by his family at the age of 86 years, 10 months, and 26 days.

He was a charter member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne and was a member of the Bethel Reformed Church in Leota while the family lived there. Wayne served as a deacon and elder at both churches. He attended men’s Bible study and belonged to a local Bible study group of couples. Wayne volunteered at Justice for All and was a school greeter at Luverne Public Schools. He really enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s sporting and school activities and he loved taking drives through the countryside to look at the crops.

Wayne will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 62 years, Margie Baker of Luverne; son, Brent Baker of Sioux Falls, S.D.; daughter, Beth (Kenneth) Allerton of Luverne; three grandchildren, Markus (Kora), Kelly, and Brandon Staeffler;  nine great-grandchildren; two sisters, Nelva Baker of Orange City, Iowa and Lorraine (Sid) Jiskoot of Sioux Center, Iowa; sisters and brothers-in-law, Morla Baker of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Janice Vink of Luverne, Shirley (Wally) Kienast of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Dennis (Judy) Miersma of Valley Springs, S.D.; and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Edna Baker; parents-in-law, Paul and Jennie Miersma; brother, Donald Baker; and a brother-in-law, James Vink.