Linda Lee Gunnels (Baker)

Linda Lee Gunnels (Baker) passed away on February 15, 2026, at the age of 85 in Casper, WY, with loved ones at her side.

Linda was born on September 13, 1940, in Henderson, KY, to Vernon (Ed) and Mary (Gladys) Gunnels. A few years later, her brother Jack arrived and was adored by his big sister. During Linda’s childhood years, the family lived in rural Henderson and in Crossville, IL. They attended Crossville Missionary Baptist Church, where they met the Bud and Pauline Cannon family. Linda and the Cannons’ daughter, LeLane, quickly became the best of friends, a relationship that endured until LeLane’s passing last year.

After graduating from Henderson High School in 1958, Linda married Floyd Baker. They made their home in Crossville, with son Paul arriving the following year. Their second son, Eddie, joined the family four years later. While the boys were still very young, Floyd’s job in the oil industry took the young family to Gillette, WY; Midland, TX; Cut Bank, MT, and finally to Casper, WY where they remained until 1987. In Casper, Linda worked as “the attendance lady” at Natrona County High School. This did not deter her teenage sons from getting into mischief, but it did require them to get a little more creative with their excuses for being late or missing class!

In 1987, Floyd and Linda decided to return to their roots in western Kentucky. Shortly after this move, they divorced. Linda spent most of the next 40 years at her home on Kentucky Lake. She absolutely loved lake life: boating, running around on her golf cart to visit friends, and spending time with family whenever they were at the lake. Annual visits from her granddaughter, Kellie, were the highlight of every summer. Linda loved taking Kellie to Moors Resort every single day to go swimming.

Linda moved back to Wyoming in 2018 to be closer to her sons, and remained there until her passing. Linda was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Gladys Gunnels; her brother, Jack Gunnels; and her dear friend of 75+ years, LeLane Cannon Taylor. She is survived by her sons, Paul (Anni); and Eddie (Sheila); granddaughter, Kellie (Matthew); great granddaughters, Verah and Willow; several nieces and nephews; and her devoted fur baby, Izzy.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the nurses, CNAs, and staff of Edgewood Meadow Wind in Casper. Their incredible love, compassion, and care for Linda filled her final years with contentment, peace, and joy. There are no words that can convey the depth of our appreciation for these amazing caregivers who treated her as a member of their own family.

No services are planned at this time. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date, when her ashes will be scattered at her beloved Kentucky Lake.

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