Michael Leon Mr. Baker

ROCKINGHAM - Mr. Michael Leon Baker, 61, died Sunday, March 15, 2015 at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst, NC. Services will be 2:00pm Thursday, March 19, 2015 in the Colonial Chapel of Carter Funeral Home with Dr. Robert L. Hunter, Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in Richmond County Memorial Park. At the request of the family, those attending the funeral service are asked to wear jeans or dress causal. The family will greet friends from 7:00pm until 9:00pm Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at Carter Funeral Home in Rockingham and other times at the home of his parents on Deweese Avenue, Rockingham. Mike was born January 17, 1954 in Anson County, NC a son of Jesse Leon Baker and the late Mary Agnes Russell Baker. He worked at Clark Equipment Company in Rockingham and later was employed with Domtar in Bennettsville, SC for many years prior to his declining health. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and often enjoyed hunting trips with his friends across the United States. He especially enjoyed his cats and hunting dogs and times riding in his antique corvette and boating. Another of his favorite hobbies was antique car restoration. Surviving are his parents, Leon and Virginia Baker of Rockingham; his brothers, Glenn Caulder and Ken Caulder both of Wadesboro; his brother-in-law, Donald Griggs of Hamlet; his nieces, Amy (Mac) Griggs Tucker, Traci (Mike) Griggs Morrison, and Lauren (Nick Moore) Griggs all of Hamlet; and his great-nephews and great-nieces, Caleb and Cameron Neeley, Alden, Brayden, Kyleigh, and Kelby Morrison, and Aniston and Nicholas Griggs. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his sister and brother, Deborah Baker Griggs and Jeffery Scott Baker. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the staff of Wake Forest Baptist Hospital Cancer Center, Manor Care in Pinehurst and FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care for the excellent care they have given Mike during his battle with leukemia. A special thank you to his niece, Traci for her support to her Uncle Mike, and to Tony Puckett for being a true friend to Mike and standing by his side through it all. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to FirstHealth Hospice Foundation, 150 Applecross Rd., Pinehurst, NC 28374 or to the Richmond County Humane Society, 529 E US HWY 74, Rockingham, NC 28379. The arrangements are in care of Leavitt Funeral Home, Wadesboro assisted by Carter Funeral Home, Rockingham. Online condolences may be made at www.leavittfuneralhomewadesboro.com.