Mary Gayle Baker
1932 ~ 2/2/2020
Mary Gayle Baker age 87, of Capulin, NM, passed away Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020 in Raton, NM.
She was born in 1932 in Wagon Mound, NM, the daughter of Carl and Lorene Hennigan. She grew up on the Hennigan Ranch in Kiowa.
She attended high school in Raton. Mary Gayle then went to NM State in Las Cruces where she was Block and Bridle Queen and a member of the Rodeo Team.
She was chosen as Miss Raton Pass in conjunction with the movie of the same name.
She married the love of her life, a cowboy named Bill Baker, on December 27, 1953 in the middle of a snowstorm. Mary Gayle had a great love for her family and for many dear friends whom she considered family too. She loved playing the piano and was an expert in Native American jewelry. She lived on various ranches in Westcliffe, Walsenburg, and La Junta, CO; Hereford, TX; Kiowa, Eagle Tail, Folsom, Tatum and Capulin, NM.
Mary Gayle also worked for NMSU building relationships with area ranchers for their range caterpillar control program. For the past two years she lived at the Miners long term care where her husband of 65 years Bill would visit her almost every day and when asked by the staff why — he told them “I’ve to to see my girl”.
Mary Gayle is preceded in death by her husband Bill Baker, her father and mother Carl and Lorene Hennigan, brothers, Norman and Jim Hennigan and sister Alta Kehoe.
She is survived by her son, Lance Baker and his wife Jamie and their children, Kayleigh Joanna Baker of Kansas City, KS and Bridget Mary Baker of Omaha, NE; as well as numerous beloved nephews, nieces, and friends.
Mary Gayle’s Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 1 p.m. at the Yaksich-Long Funeral Home Chapel of Raton with Rev. Ellen Swain officiating.
