Submitted by Family
Frank Tinker Baker Jr. of Mazie, Okla., passed away at home on September 14, 2024, after a lengthy illness. He was born on Jan. 17, 1937, in Pawhuska, Okla., to Frank Tinker Baker Sr. and Thelma Sybil Sherriff Baker. Frank Sr. was an original allottee and was on the 16th Osage Tribal Council from 1942-1946.
Frank’s paternal grandparents were John Thomas Baker and Monette Pappan Baker, an original allottee. Franks great-grandparents were Stephen Actan Pappan and Mary B. Revelette. His fifth grandparent was Pa-hiu-skah I, Chief of the Osage.
Franks maternal grandparents were Coenna Gilmore Sherriff, an original allottee and Landren Jack Sherriff. His great-grandparents were Mary Anne Chouteau Gilmore and Henry Clay Gilmore.
Franks formative years were lived in Gray Horse and Pawhuska where he went to school. His family, including Frank Jr. when he was very young, were at the dances in Pawhuska. He was four or five years old. Mrs. Fred Lookout, wife of Chief Lookout saw him dancing in the aisle.
Mrs. Lookout and friend were so impressed, Julia came over to the Baker family home and gifted Frank Jr. with a complete dress regalia. He danced each year under the brush arbor in Indian Camp until he outgrew his dress.
After graduation from High School, he married his school sweetheart, Nancy Coppedge. They were the parents of five children, Tommy Frank, Jimmy Tinker, Belinda Kay, Vicki Lynn and Larry Lawrence. They were married for 57 years. Nancy died in 2013. During their marriage Frank and Nancy served the Lord in the small churches of northeast Oklahoma. Frank gave his testimony of a rowdy life; played his guitar and Nancy sang.
When his mother played the piano or he played his guitar, he would whistle along with the music.
He played golf, was an outdoorsman; he and his son Larry hunted every year. He also belonged to the Archery and Long Bow Club and earned many awards during his 10-year membership.
He was the State Champion in bare-bow competition.
After Nancy’s death, and six years of being single, he married Sammy Garner. They were together until the end of his life.
Preceding his death was the loss of his sister, Mary Hardy, a son, Tommy and a brother, William Charles Rogers III, grandson of W.C. Rogers, the last hereditary Chief of the Cherokees.
He is survived by four of his children and eight grandchildren, two sisters, Sybil J. Baker Padgett and Barbara B. Smith.
