ALMA BAKER

1917 - 2001

Alma Richards Baker of Barnwell, beloved husband of Phyllis Irene (Anderson) Baker, passed away of cancer in Taber on Friday, March 23, 2001 at the age of 83 years.
Alma was born November 21, 1917 at Leavitt, Alberta, the second child and son of Samuel Leavitt Baker and Janet Richards. He is survived by his wife of sixty one, Phyllis, six children; Lee (Shirley) Baker of Barnwell and their five children and five grandchildren; Jim (Leena) Baker of Salt Lake City and their five children and four grandchildren; Lynn Baker of Barnwell and her twelve children and twenty nine grandchildren; Bonnie (Mark) Weber of Oakville, Ontario and one daughter and one grandchild; Debbie (Scott) Wood of Lake Elsinore, California and their three children and three grandchildren; Kelly (Mary Ann) Baker of Calgary and their six children. Alma was predeceased by his parents and two brothers, Hyrum Baker and McCall Baker. He is survived by a sister, Edna (Leon) Cahoon of Cardston and two brothers, Wallace (Mary) Baker of Magrath and Samuel (Carol) Baker of Toronto.
Alma was born and raised in the Leavitt and Cardston region of Southern Alberta. There he went to school and upon graduation in Cardston went to Normal School in Calgary for a year before being employed as a coach and teacher at the Barnwell school in the Taber School Division in 1937. It was there that he met his future wife, Phyllis Irene Anderson, and they were married September 14, 1939 in the Cardston Temple.
For the next sixty one years, Alma and Phyllis moved many times, to Edmonton where he worked in government, to Toronto where he was involved in several business ventures, to Barnwell and Taber where he taught school again, to Salt Lake City for more business ventures and then back to Barnwell to build a retirement home and fill missions for the Church.
Alma was a sports enthusiast over the years, being particularly interested in playing and coaching with various school and community teams. His playing skills were such that he was often sought out to play on teams up to the Provincial levels. He followed with enthusiasm and pride his kids and grandchildren in their sporting endeavors through the years.
Alma entered the Armed Services in 1942 and trained in the Air force to become a flight instructor stationed in Claresholm and Fort Macleod until the end of the war. He never did go overseas and of course was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Alma had many talents, hobbies and interests. He could build things like his retirement home, enjoyed hunting and fishing with his family and friends, reading and writing and performing service and fulfilling missions for the church. Alma was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he and Phyllis served in Salt Lake City, Toronto, New Zealand and New Mexico on behalf of the Church before illnesses finally forced them into retirement. Alma will be remembered as a forceful and dynamic speaker and a student of the scriptures. His last years were spent as a sealer in the Alberta Temple, a position that he enjoyed very much.
Alma will be greatly missed by family and friends. He dearly loved his family and just being with them was always his greatest joy.
The Funeral Service was held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Barnwell Chapel, on Tuesday, March 27, 2001 at 11:00 A.M. with Bishop Marty Johnson conducting. Interment to follow in the Barnwell Cemetery.