Alta "Toni" Estelle (Strickland) Baxter

A Graveside service for Toni Baxter, 78, of Nacogdoches will be held at 11:00am on Monday, October 20, 2025 at Friendship Cemetery with Bro. Jackie Yates and Bro. Jerry Wilson officiating.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Sunday, October 19, 2025 at Laird Funeral Home.  

Mrs. Baxter passed away on Monday, October 13, 2025 in Lufkin, Texas.  She was born in Nacogdoches on September 25, 1947 to Arrie and Odessa Strickland.

Alta Estelle “Toni” Baxter left this world and into Glory on Monday, October 13, 2025.  She was surrounded by all four of her children and other family members.  Alta “Toni”  was born on September 25, 1947 in Nacogdoches to Arrie Buford Strickland and Odessa Gertrude Gipson Strickland.  She was the 2nd daughter of four daughters born to them.

Alta  “Toni” was married to J.W. Baxter on July 25, 1966 and remained married to him until his death in March of 2017.  She and J.W. had four children; one daughter and three sons. 

Alta “Toni” worked most of her life with the Nacogdoches Independent School District Food Service Dept.  She retired with 36 years of service.  She fed several generations of children in Nacogdoches over the years.  She was affectionately known as “Ms. Toni”.  She had an eye for the neglected child and always “made sure they had their bellies full at school because that meal might be the only meal they got that day”.  She was proud of that. 

She loved to sing and her family has fond memories of J.W. playing the guitar and her and her kids singing harmony on the back porch.  She was almost always a low alto.  Alta “Toni” was an awesome cook with her specialties being potato salad, chicken fried steak, deviled eggs and her cornbread dressing.  Everything she cooked was absolutely delectable!

She loved her family big and her family loved her big.  She was known as Mama, Mom, Alti to her side of the family, Toni to J.W.’s side of the family and Mimi to all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Alta “Toni” was preceded in death by her parents, Arrie Buford Strickland and Odessa Gertrude Gipson Strickland, her husband, J.W. Baxter, daughter-in-law, Kim Baxter and niece, Melissa Baxter Simmons.

She is survived by her sisters, Carolyn Louise Sims of Nacogdoches, Barbara Ann Burleson and husband Jessie of Nacogdoches, TX, and Danita Tucker of Nacogdoches; all of her children;  Melanie Ann Baxter Black of Longview, TX, John Bradley Baxter and wife Loren of Nacogdoches, TX, twin sons, Jason Wade Baxter and wife Meridith of Hudson, TX, and Jeffery Lance Baxter and his wife, Misty of Dickinson, TX, God-Daughter, Anita Kay Howard and husband Dody Howard, Sr.  and also by twelve grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers are:  Jason Baxter, Jeffery Baxter, Dody Howard, Jake Baxter, Bobby Sadler and James Harris.  Honorary pall bearers are John Bradley Baxter, Jayden Baxter and Jared Richmond. 

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