Verda Fern McClain was born February 24, 1927, in Brownwood, Texas to John Stoddard and Emma Dee McClain McNeely. She was a long-time resident of Coleman County and a member of Elm Street Church of Christ.
She attended Mozelle Schools and at the age of 16, she married Floyd Wilton (Sonny) Baker in 1943 in Brownwood. They began their farming and ranching life on Panther Creek in the Hardin community. She was always proud of their paint horses.
They were the proud parents to two sons, Max Warren Baker and James Michael (Mike) Baker . Having lived through the Great Depression, World War II, and the drought of the 1950’s, she always wanted her boys to have a better life. She finally gained two daughters when the boys married: Max to Tonya (Williams) Baker, and Mike to Carolyn (Sosebee) Baker.
She worked for many years as a teacher’s aide at the Mozelle school and stayed on the farm until 1976 after Sonny’s passing in 1973. Moving to Coleman, she worked at Shipman’s Department Store, then went to work at the Coleman Hospital in the pharmacy. Later she worked in the office of Dr. J.P. Jones as office manager.
In 1990, she married Dr. Jones, and they lived in Coleman. Besides Doc’s practice in Coleman, they spent time farming and ranching, and many hours hunting and fishing. Fern was something of a tomboy herself, having been raised with two brothers and then raising two boys herself. She was also proud of her four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, plus her many special nieces and nephews.
She loved live music and enjoyed trips to Arlington with her brother Varrell and the family to the Johnnie High Country Music Review in Arington, Texas. They also made many trips to Branson, Missouri to see the shows there. When Fern and Varrell got older, they enlisted their children to drive them to Branson.
Fern is survived by her two sons Max (Tonya) Baker of Tyler and Mike (Carolyn) Baker of Abilene; four grandchildren, Jason and wife Kaylyn Baker, Tiffany and husband Greg Bowersock, Lana and husband Aaron Hernandez, and Wade and wife Samantha Baker; four great-grandchildren, Warren Bowersock, Lila Bowersock, Chloe Baker, and Cole Baker.
She was preceded in death by husbands Sonny Baker and J.P. (Doc) Jones, her parents Stoddard and Emma Dee McClain and Doc Skelton, her brothers and their wives, Varrell and Margaret McClain, and Kenneth and Betty McClain, and twin great-granddaughters, Marci and Haley Baker.
Family and friends are invited to a graveside funeral service honoring her remarkable life at 2:30 PM Sunday, April 6, 2025, at the Gouldbusk Cemetery Pavilion with Pastor Joe Hailey officiating. Arrangements are entrusted to Stevens Funeral Home, 400 W. Pecan Street, in Coleman.
Pallbearers will be Wade Baker, Jason Baker, Warren Bowersock, Greg Bowersock, Mike Barker, and David Avants. Honorary pallbearers will be Aaron Hernandez, Donnie Taylor, Tim Loftin, and Robert Sensabaugh.
The family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in memory of Fern be made to Elm Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 998, Coleman, Texas 76834.
We invite you to share fond memories and words of comfort and condolence with the Baker-Jones family by signing the guestbook on Fern’s tribute page at www.stevensfuneralhome.com. Stevens Funeral Home is honored to serve the Baker-Jones family.
