On August 20, 2025, Benson Baker lost his three-year battle with cancer.
Benson Otto Baker was born on May 25, 1949, to Emery and Edna (Balo) Baker in Brookings, South Dakota. He was the second to the youngest of seven children. Benson spent the first years of his life in eastern South Dakota. In 1956 the family moved to Newell, SD. He started school at the Horse Creek School west of Newell then into town where he graduated from high school in May 1968. Benson went on to Black Hills State College for one year and then went to work at Homestake Mine in 1969.
On September 6, 1969 he married Linda Silvernagel in Bear Butte Valley. They lived in Sturgis, Whitewood, and St Onge. During this time Benson logged in the winter and during the summer he would farm in the Newell and Vale area. He was also in the South Dakota National Guard from 1969 to 1975. In 1975 they moved to Newell where he resided until his passing.
Benson started buying dairy cows and they ran a dairy for about five years and also farmed. In the mid 1980’s they bought the place that they were renting and quit dairying and started feeding calves and lambs for other people. In 1977 he started driving truck for others, and in 1988 Benson got his DOT authority and bought his first semi-truck and trailers to haul hay and livestock in the Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota area. This lasted until 1995 when the truck broke down on one of the coldest days in December and he had to hire another trucker to haul his load. That’s when he decided to buy a new truck and went to work for East West Motor Express in Black Hawk, SD. He drove for East West from 1996 to 2008. In June 2001 his wife joined him running as a team driver. In 2008 Benson reinstated his DOT authority and started Baker Trucking. He continued driving truck until 2017 when the ELD (electronic logging device) went into effect. That’s when he decided it was time to quit trucking.
Benson is survived by his wife, Linda of Newell; two daughters, Julie Clark, Gillette, WY and Karen (Matt) Neisen, Spearfish; grandchildren, Kayleigh Jensen, Corben Jensen, Ethan Baker, Arya Clark, and Leif Clark all in Gillette; Titus Clark, North Dakota, Maci Neisen and Koen Neisen, Spearfish; sisters, Zeta Bennett, Belle Fourche and Laura Jackel, Rapid City; brothers, Ed Baker, Newell, and Eric Baker, Sundance, WY; sister-in-law, Betty Anne Baker, Newell; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Emery and Edna; brothers, Bill, Newell and Howard, Casper, WY; sisters-in-law, Billie Jean, Newell and Carol, Sundance; and brother-in-law, Virgil Bennett, Belle Fourche.
Visitation will be held on Monday, August 25, 2025, 5–7 PM at Kinkade Funeral Chapel. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 10:00 AM at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood, SD. Private family burial will be held at Whitewood Cemetery.
Condolences may be left for the family at www.kinkadefunerals.com.