William W. Baker

William W. Baker

William W. Baker, was born on August 21, 1940 and passed away at home with his family on January 17, 2011. He was born to Joseph and Roberta Hartman Baker in Seward, Nebraska and grew up on a farm where his family owned a creamery. The family moved to Marysville, WA in 1946 and relocated to the West Casino Road area in Everett, one year later. The Bakers lived in that neighborhood for many years where Bill attended Roosevelt Elementary School. He delivered The Herald newspaper in his neighborhood for many years (including the year the Herald building burned and papers had to be delivered late in the evening after being brought up from Seattle).
He maintained many friends from the neighborhood and from South Junior High School throughout his life. Bill developed many more lifelong relationships as he attended Everett High School where he held many leadership roles and graduated in 1958. While there, he received a National Merit Scholarship which allowed him to attend Stanford University. He graduated from Stanford in 1962 and the University of Washington Law School in 1965. Following law school, Bill worked as a law clerk at the Washington State Supreme Court before he returned to Everett to join the Anderson Hunter law firm.
Bill valued his colleagues in the law firm and had mutual respect in the regional legal community. He held leadership roles in many community organizations. In 1990, he was appointed by Governor Gardner to be a judge on the Washington State Court of Appeals, where he served until his retirement in 2008. Following his retirement he worked in mediation and arbitration until December 2010. He maintained an active interest in the law through the American Judicature Society (improving access to justice).
Bill's life was filled with friends and associates, his poker group, fishing partners, book clubs, racquetball friends at the YMCA, and many more. The center point of the last 26 years of his life was his home at Decatur NW in the San Juan Islands where he and his wife, Judy, and partners, Dean and Sandy Nichols, were surrounded by many wonderful friends.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Judy; children, Ryan W. Baker and Monica Janus; son-in-law, Daniel Packard; and grandchildren, Amber J. Baker and Ryan Baker Jr.; as well as brothers, Steven Baker (Barbie), and Scott Baker (Dina); and his sister, Bonnie Camacho (Eduardo).
He was predeceased by his beloved older brother, Boyd B. Baker; and his parents.
He is also survived by brothers and sisters-in-law, Tom and Jane Collins, Mike and Cathy Deller, Ben Collins and Steven Pelton, Peg and Mick Doheny, Kay Forsythe, Peggy Baker; and many other nieces; and nephews.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to a charity of choice.
A celebration of Bill's life will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 25 at the Rose Hill Community Center at 304 Lincoln Avenue, Mukilteo, WA.