Arlette Baer Obituary

Arlette Goldberg Baer's curiosity, compassion and courage compelled her to question the inequities and injustices of segregation during her youth in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She left home at age 16 to attend Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Since that time, she never stopped fighting for justice. From marching on Farmworker Union picket lines and taking her children to Viet Nam War protests through her forty years of volunteer work with the Colorado ACLU, Arlette's commitment to social justice never wavered. Arlette was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dr. Sylvan Baer. She leaves behind her six children, Neal (Gerrie), Simmie (Cynthia), Daniel (Jennifer), Bryan (Linda), David (Ann) and William and her seven grandchildren, Ethan, Caleb, Rebecca, Rachel, Macayla, Arlynn, and Leah. Arlette touched the lives of many with her brilliance, wit and love. She was the original "peacenik." Our deepest gratitude to Emily Terry for the four years of wonderful care. Donations in Arlette's memory can be made to the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado.

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Published by Denver Post on Nov. 19, 2014.

Memories and Condolences
for Arlette Baer

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9 Entries

Sandi B Holder

November 17, 2024

I´m fondly remembering Arlette at this time of year. She tapped with me close to 25 yrs, following me from the Jewish Community Ctr to Garlutzo Dance Ctr to Goodson Rec Ctr (now celebrating my 35th yr there)...you´re in all our . I´ve attached a pic from her last dance with us - even in this dance, she was the center of attention!

Sandi B Holder

November 13, 2023

Hi Arlette....I know you're keeping a watch on me and, yes, I'm still teaching! I'm now semi-retired (at 70) and, besides my office job, only teaching 4 tap/jazz classes a week now. Here's a recent pic: remember Ilga, Linda, Jacqui & Brooke? We're all missing you and have so many very fond memories of you tapping with us!

Sandi B. Holder

November 13, 2021

To this day, I still share stories with my adult tappers of my memories of Arlette in class, from how she tapped with me for over 25 yrs, hardly ever missing a week to, at the end when she couldn't perform anymore, becoming our "Cane Queen" at our performances. I know she's still taking her bows alongside Honi Coles and Gregory Hines.

December 1, 2014

Dearest Arlette and her family. I always had the greatest respect and fondness for you. It was a privilege to know you. Rita Poundstone

Linda DeMarche

November 28, 2014

Good bye Arlette!! We miss you in tap class. I think I was in class with you for about 10 years, off and on! We would arrive early to class and sit on the indoor stairs putting on our tap shoes, talking about her early life, college, kids, her grandkids, injustices, etc. I always thought , "Wow, what a life, such a thoughtful presence and quiet demeanor!" She seemed so ahead of her time- rest in peace.

Sandi Holder

November 20, 2014

I was privileged to be Arlette's tap teacher for over 20 yrs! She started with me at 60 yrs old when I was teaching at the Shwayder Theatre, she followed me to Garlutzo Dance Center for 5 yrs, and finished up with me at Goodson Rec Ctr for another 15 yrs. Not only did I appreciate her commitment, but I adored her personally as did many of the students in her class who have regularly asked how she's been doing since she left. I will always keep a place in my heart with her memory...and I'm quite sure she's tapping her way up that Stairway to Heaven!

November 20, 2014

Arlette, to me you were always the ACLU personified. Your commitment to doing the hard daily work and the lesson you taught us all about how doing the right thing isn't impossible, it just means taken step after step after step following your heart.. Can't wait to see so many of your loved ones tonight to celebrate the incredible woman I was so proud and happy to know. Love, David.

Kevin Tobiason

November 19, 2014

Arlette was also a great beauty with an ever-present charm which was always calming in it's wisdom. She was masterful at raising her children, all six of them, tireless as an opponent of sociopolitical injustice especially for those wrongly disenfranchised by the majority, and I personally think that she was obviously a very old soul. What a glorious incarnation and such an enormous sorrow and loss. Thank you so much Arlette for all of the generosity which you never failed to offer to me. I simply don't believe I have ever had the pleasure, or honor, of meeting a better human being.

ACLU Colorado

November 19, 2014

It is with deep sorrow that we at the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado learned of the recent passing of Arlette Baer. As a dedicated volunteer at the ACLU for more than four decades, Arlette's selfless contributions had an immeasurable impact on our mission to protect and defend the rights of people throughout Colorado.
We send our thoughts and condolences to the Baer family. At our 2014 Annual Meeting, we were honored to award the first-ever Arlette Baer Volunteer of the Year Award. We will continue to give the award every year in Arlette's memory to recognize those who have followed in her path and to commemorate her service to our organization, for which we are eternally grateful.

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