ARTHUR W. BAKER

Coach Art Baker died on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, at Covenant Place in Sumter, surrounded by his family. Art Baker was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

He was born on Nov. 30, 1929, in Sumter, to the late George A. and Sarah Adell Holzer Baker. Arthur, as he was known in Sumter, went to Edmunds High School in Sumter, where he graduated in 1948. He coached the JV football team while he was a senior. He attended Presbyterian College and played football, graduating in 1952.  Art served our country in the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson in Columbia from 1952 to 1954.  Art then served as head football coach at McColl High School for two years and then head coach at Newberry High School. In 1959, he was hired as the head football coach at Eau Claire High School in Columbia. He assembled a wonderful coaching staff at Eau Claire, where they enjoyed much success for five years.  The Eau Claire Shamrocks grew some very deep roots for Coach Baker and always held a special place with the Baker family.  In 1964, Art was hired by legendary coach Frank Howard at Clemson as their freshman football coach and later became quarterbacks coach. In 1970, he was hired by another coaching legend, Jim Carlen at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas.  In 1973, he returned to his home state of South Carolina as head coach at Furman University.  Art reunited most of his Eau Claire HS staff at Furman that included Dick Sheridan, Jimmy Satterfield and Steve Robertson. This began years of future success for Furman.

In 1978, Art became head football coach at The Citadel in Charleston and, at the time, became the winningest coach in the school’s history. In 1983, he went to East Carolina as their offensive coordinator. Coach Baker was then hired in 1984 by another legend, Bobby Bowden at Florida State, where he coached the quarterbacks. In 1985, he returned back to East Carolina but this time as the head football coach. In 1989, Art retired from coaching and went to serve as the associate athletic director/director of the Gamecock Club at USC for 6 ½ years. He also was a volunteer coach with the teams of Brad Scott and Lou Holtz at USC.

Coach Baker had a very distinguished career with many honors and lived his life with the utmost integrity and character. He was a strong Christian man and spent his entire career heavily involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, introducing the FCA chapter to Clemson while coaching there. Art and his family were fixtures at Blue Ridge Assembly FCA Camp Black Mountain, North Carolina, through the years. He was awarded The Order of Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor. He is a member of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, South Carolina Football Hall of Fame and the Sumter County Hall of Fame. While at Eau Claire, he was honored by coaching in the Shrine Bowl for high school football players. In 1973, while at Furman, he won the CSHF Small University Coach of the Year.

Art was very involved with the Methodist Church wherever he lived. He was a very sought after speaker for many churches or banquets. Outside of football, he played tennis well into his 80's, he loved reading a good book, and you could find him in a field hunting quail or doves, or near a duck pond.

He is survived by his children, Arthur "Artie" W. Baker Jr. (Kelly), Kimberly E. Baker, H. Ryan Baker and Curtis K. Baker; his four grandchildren, G. Marshall Kirkman (Rachel), Taylor L. Kirkman (Jennifer), A. Wellington Baker and R. Austin Baker; his six great-grandchildren, Ezerie, Emiya, Aurora, Solomon, William and Nora; brothers, Bobby Baker (Barbara) and Michael Capers (Linda); and sister-in-law, Irene, and their families.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 70 years, Edith Edens Baker; and a brother, George A. Baker.

Coach Baker and his wife, Edith, lived a life that reflected their strong Christian faith.

The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home chapel.  Burial will be in the Sumter Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Wellington Baker, Austin Baker, Marshall Kirkman, Taylor Kirkman, Robbie Baker and John Baker.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Eua Claire Wednesday Morning Breakfast Club.

Memorials may be made to the Art Baker Scholarship Fund at www.MidlandFCA.org.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.