JOE BAKER 1961 - 1986 PILOT BIL DEN Here's a photo with names from the 2010 PHX Reunion: Joe Baker, Dave Kaplan, Tommy Kaplan -Bonnie Dahl (11/14/10) On a sad note, Capt. Joe Baker suffered a massive stroke. He is in Montana. I received the message from Denise Hurd. The Bakers and the Hurds were pretty close and shared several vacations together. Denise said she'd keep me posted. We should get the word out so as many folks as possible will put Joe and his family in their thoughts and prayers. -Billy Walker (9/1/11) I just received a call from a very distraught Carol Baker. Joe had a very bad stroke this morning. At the present, he is unconscious, however they did get him to the hospital fairly quickly. -Howard Colling (9/1/11) J E BAKER Pilot seniority date of 9/11/61 Per the 9/1/81 FL/ALPA Seniority List He is not on the 9/1/86 list -Jake Lamkins (9/2/11) Joe is a great fellow. Always smilin' affable and well liked. We were too close in seniority for me to have flown with him, but socially he is tops. Denise Hurd just called to tell me that they are waiting for Joe & Carol's son to arrive before turning off life-support. Sadly, there is apparently no hope for recovery. Joe and Carol have a nice place at the Ferndale Airpark near Bigfork, MT. They wintered in Casa Grande, AZ. Joe was an avid radio-control aircraft buff. Attached is a photo of Joe and Carol with Brad Hurd at a much happier time. -Billy Walker (9/2/11) I just got a phone call from Denise Hurd. Joe Baker passed away yesterday, Sept, 2, at 1600. His three Sons are with Carol. There will be a memorial for Joe in DEN in September. I am so shocked and saddened by the loss of this great guy. He suffered massive stroke on Sept 1, at his home in Montana. -Bonnie Dahl (9/3/11) Joe passed away yesterday at 4:00, peacefully, surrounded by his loving family. -Denise Hurd (9/3/11) Services for Captain Joe Baker: Saturday - September 10, 2011 - 2PM Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary 7777 W. 29th Ave. Wheatridge, CO 80033 303-233-4611 His obituary is not yet shown on their website, but Carol confirmed the time and location via Denise Hurd. -Billy Walker (9/5/11) OBITUARY Joseph E Baker March 1, 1936 - September 2, 2011 Visitation/ServicesObituary Memorial Service Saturday, September 10, 2011 | 2:00pm Olinger Crown Hill Pavillion 7777 W 29th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 ------------------------------------------------- Joseph E. Baker was born March 1, 1936 in Denver, Colorado, and passed away September 2, 2011 in Kalispell, Montana. He is survived by his beloved wife, Carol of Bigfork, Montana and Casa Grande Arizona; and three sons: Michael (Susan) of Roswell, New Mexico; Shawn of Giltner, Nebraska; and Brian (Leslie) of Littleton, Colorado. He has four grandchildren, Kristen and Stephanie Baker of Roswell; and Rois and Callie Baker of Littleton. His two sisters, Shirley Baker and Kathleen Headrick of Centennial, Colorado also survive him. Joe was the son of Herbert R. Baker and Catherine N. Baker and was raised in Denver, Billings, Montana, and Minneapolis, Minnesota where his Father's work took the family. Bob Henry, company pilot for Clark Drilling Company in Billings (for which his sister, Shirley worked), taught him to fly small airplanes while he was still in high school. He attended Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota for three years and during that time Joe flew in college air shows and obtained his commercial pilot's license. In 1957 he enlisted in the Navy and flew airplanes for the Navy through 1961, including a year flying a submarine detector aircraft off of an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific. He met his wife, Carol, in Long Beach, California when he was in the Navy and elected to leave the Navy in 1961. Carol and Joe were married in Humboldt, Iowa February 19, 1962. In 1962, Joe became a pilot for Frontier Airlines in Billings, Montana, and was later promoted to Captain where he flew for Frontier out of Denver until 1986 when he retired after 24 years of service. At the time of his death, Carol and Joe were residing in their summer home in Bigfork, Montana, a few miles from Flathead Lake where he had a boat. He loved to go out fishing and simply enjoy the beauty of western Montana. Not surprisingly this summer home was located right on the edge of a small flying strip in Bigfork, where pilots flew in and out every day, and where the forest service brought in aircraft to fight forest fires. In the winter, Carol and Joe returned to their home in Casa Grande, Arizona. Joe loved his wife and family above all else. He was a free spirit who enjoyed the beauty of Colorado, Montana, the Canadian Rockies, Arizona, the Midwest, and Hawaii. During his 75+ years he left his family a legacy of the joys that exploring the world and nature can bring to one's life. -Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary & Cemetery website (9/9/11) Posted at the FL Club: Obituary for pilot Joe Baker is at http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Joseph-Baker&lc=2379&pid=153521715&mid=4806101 Be sure to visit the photo gallery and leave a note in Joe's guestbook. -Jake Lamkins (9/9/11)