Obituary

BAKER, CHESTER B., DR. Age 96, passed peacefully from this world on Thursday, October 30, 2014. Chet was born in 1918 the eldest child of Florence Heston Bird Baker and Herbert Victor Baker and grew up on a farm near the small town of Mt. Pleasant, IA. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of nearly 72 years, Virginia (Ginny) Baker; his sister, Helen Eckles; and his brother, Robert Baker. He is survived by his three children, Ed Baker, Barbara Chaney, and Tom Baker; their spouses, Beth, John, and Laura; and his grandchildren, Julie Baker, Deborah Mitchell and Matthew Baker, Kari Edenfield, Josh Chaney, and Nicholas and Allison Baker. He also has seven great-grandchildren. Chet attended Iowa Wesleyan College and joined the U.S. Army to serve for the duration of World War II. Chet married Ginny in 1942 and they moved together to his new station in California. Following the completion of his military service he and Ginny moved to Ames, IA to attend Iowa State University, where he received his Bachelor's degree. He then moved his young family to Berkley, CA where he received a PhD in Agricultural Economics at the University of California. After receiving his Doctorate, he and his growing family moved to Bozeman, MT, where he began his academic career at Montana State College (now Montana State University.) Following a number of years in Bozeman, Chet moved his family to Urbana, IL to become a professor at the University of Illinois. Dr. Baker was, above all things, a teacher and mentor. He treasured his time with his graduate students and took great pride in seeing them succeed. His graduate students, most of whom are now retired, still wrote to him on a regular basis to thank him for his encouragement and wisdom. He traveled extensively throughout his career, lecturing and advising governments around the world on ways to increase their agricultural productivity. He also co-wrote several books on the same subject. He was president of the American Agricultural Economics Association and was a recipient of many prestigious academic awards. His children also benefited from his integrity, his humility and his willingness to listen. His counsel was an important factor in decisions they made and they appreciated his thoughtful and wise advice. In 2005, Chet and Ginny moved from Urbana to Albuquerque to be near family. Moving from their home of nearly fifty years was difficult but being close to family was important to them and they were greatly treasured. Chet's devotion to each and everyone in the family is a lasting legacy. His grandchildren love him deeply and his constant love and concern was a touchstone for his entire family. Church was important to Chet. He was a deacon and an ordained elder of the Presbyterian Church USA. When he moved to Albuquerque, he and Ginny joined the First Presbyterian Church and then moved to Sandia Presbyterian Church where they were members for the rest of their years. A Memorial Service for Chet will be held at 1:30 pm, Monday, November 10, 2014 at Daniels Family Funeral Services, Sara Chapel, 4310 Sara Road SE, Rio Rancho, NM. Inurnment will follow at 2:30 pm at Vista Verde Memorial Park, Rio Rancho, NM. A reception for family and friends will be held in the Sara Road Family Room following the graveside service. The family offers its deepest gratitude to the devoted and caring folks of The Woodmark Uptown, Ambercare Hospice and Footprints. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Chet's honor to the United Way of Central New Mexico at www.uwcnm.org or 2340 Alamo Avenue SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 or to Sandia Presbyterian Church at 10704 Paseo Del Norte Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122. To view information or leave a condolence please visit www.danielsfuneral.com Daniels Family Funeral Services 4310 Sara Road SE Rio Rancho, NM 87124 505-892-9920