Raymond George Baker

Born May 27, 1926 and reared in Royal Oak, Michigan.  Died May 28, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Served in the US Army Infantry near the end of WWII.  Ray graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Economics.  He married Helen Jane Wiggin June 26, 1954.  Helen and Ray's 61+ year romance began as a result of a blind date arranged by friends.  This set the tone for their fun relationship which included a lot of laughter over the years.  They lived in the Detroit area for 87 years, moving to Salt Lake City, Utah in the fall of 2013 to be near more family.  

For most of Ray's professional career, he owned his own small business – working as a manufacturers' rep for precision gauging equipment related to the automobile industry in the Detroit area.  Ray was a great provider and was successful because of hard work and superior people skills.  He was genuinely interested in getting to know everyone he met.

Ray was a sports fanatic.  Sports were a huge part of his life – both participating and as a spectator.  He loved all sports – but particularly he enjoyed skiing, sailing, golf, ice skating and tennis.  He loved to ski and could handle almost any terrain.  He owned several sailboats (one named the "Family Circus") and crewed for friends in races.  He has been known to say, '"If there is a competition, I'll be there."  He didn't care who was playing –   except when it came to University of Michigan football and the Detroit Tigers.  

He had season tickets to the Wolverine games for 10 years and even when he couldn't go to a game, he was famous for running up the Michigan flag on his own flag pole and waking everyone up on game day marching through the house in his underwear singing the Michigan fight song with his radio on his shoulder.  He loved attending the Tiger games with his kids and brought many neighborhood kids along also.  He would keep all the stats as the game progressed.  Once he was so absorbed keeping stats that he was hit in the chest by a home run ball on the fly. The ball bounced off of him and hit a lady in the head knocking her unconscious.  He had a bruise on his chest for weeks.  

He was well known for his "professional quality" ice rink which he would build in his backyard every winter.  He would carefully tend to the ice every night before his children and the neighborhood kids would show up the next day to use it.  He loved skating and hockey.  He played hockey for years and in his 40s he would play with 20 year-olds.  Since ice time was scarce, he would actually set his alarm to get up to play in the middle of the night.  He followed his hockey-playing son, Bruce, around the Mid-West and Canada to support the team.  He helped coach girls softball for both of his daughters teams and coached his son's baseball teams as well.

He was in several golf groups over the years and has golfed all over the country.  Helen and Ray made many good friends at Twin Beach.  He taught his children and grand-children how to ski, swim, ride bikes, ice skate, bowl, etc and he loved to play any board or card game with his family.  He was at master at "Clue" and there were many wild games. 

The Baker family travelled around the US with some highlights being Camp Michigania and US history trips to Civil War sites and US historical monuments.  Helen and Ray often surprised their children and grandchildren with "mystery trips" which have become some of the most cherished memories in the family.  After retirement, Helen and Ray enjoyed many trips together travelling around the world alone as well as with the "Nomads" travel club.  

Ray actively gave back to his community.  Annually, he organized a golf tournament to benefit "Infant Mortality" programs.  He volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul Society which provides financial assistance to low income individuals.  He delivered "Meals on Wheels" from the time he retired at age 62 until he was 85.   

Although their marriage was a true partnership, Ray always put Helen's needs before his own.  During their last several years in Michigan, Ray became her full-time caregiver.  He was a loving husband and wonderful father.  

He is survived by his wife, Helen (Wiggin) and three children:  Janet (Doxey), Bruce Baker and Karen Baker.  He is also survived by 6 grandchildren (all grand-daughters)  and 9 great-grandchildren.  A funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 1 o'clock PM at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church followed by interment at Mount Calvary Cemetery.