Otis M. Baker III, 84, of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa passed away Tuesday, February 23, 2021.  The Funeral Service will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, March 1, 2021 at the Waterbury Funeral Service of Sergeant Bluff, 400 4 ^th Street.  Burial will follow at the Woodbury Township Cemetery in Sergeant Bluff.  A reception will be held after the burial at the American Legion Hall in Sergeant Bluff until 6 p.m.  Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.

Otis Morse Baker III was born on July 2, 1936 in Chicago, IL, son of Otis and Maxine (Hipkins) Baker, Jr.  Otis graduated in 1952 from Lane Tech High School in Chicago, IL at the age of 16.  He joined the United States Air Force in 1953 and received an honorable discharge in 1975.  Otis married Maria Caroline Gray on December 29, 1956 in Salix, Iowa.  The couple had 5 children while stationed across the United States and in England.  They would eventually settle in Maria’s hometown of Sergeant Bluff.

Otis spent the early years of his military service as a jet engine technician.  From 1965 to 1971, he was a flight engineer (the encyclopedia of the plane) on the C-141A jet transport.  He flew all over the world, accruing 5600 hours of flight time.  Otis spent his final four years in the Air Force as a machinist.  He retired as a decorated Master Sergeant.  His vast knowledge and experience lead him to civilian employment as a domestic appliance technician working on all manner of machines.  Otis also did computer repair and programming.  He worked for a number of years at St. Luke’s Hospital in the maintenance department before retirement.

Never one to sit around, Otis had a brilliant mind that was always on, and it was often on his hobbies.  Tinkering from a young age, he spent many a faithful hour in his machine shop where he built scale model planes and live steam model locomotives.  Otis often machined and milled every part of an engine right there in the shop or made a tool if he needed one.  He flew his radio controlled planes with buddies known as “The Fly Guys”.  Otis was a big boy with toys who still enjoyed skipping, whistling and giggling.  A track for some of his locomotives surrounds his home and shop where he was known to give train rides to neighborhood kids and daycare groups, teaching them how to safely operate the train.  Otis believed in a life of learning and loved to share his knowledge with the next generation.  He also enjoyed travelling and took many treasured trips with his wife, making sure to see friends and family along the way.  Otis was a devoted son and husband.  He cared for his mother in the final years of her life.  Otis also showed an exceptional dedication to his beloved Maria throughout the progression of her Alzheimer’s.

He is survived and dearly missed by his wife, Maria of Sergeant Bluff, two sons, Christopher of Kansas City, MO, Timothy (Kim) of Westminster, SC, three daughters, Jody Wax of Sergeant Bluff, IA, Karen (Rick) Jackson of Hornick, IA, Susan Taylor of Memphis, TN, 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Otis is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Carol Jean Griesch, and his son-in-law, David Wax.