William Phillip "Phil" Baker

William Phillip "Phil" Baker, 56, died Tuesday (10/19/04) at Riverwalk Village, Noblesville, Ind., after a nine-month battle with cancer. Phil was born Aug. 11, 1948, in Maryville, Mo., to William R. and Ida H. (Raines) Baker of Elmo, Mo. He attended school at Elmo and graduated from West Nodaway High School in Burlington Junction, Mo., in 1966. He was active in 4-H, Methodist Youth Fellowship and band while a teen. He attended Northwest Missouri University at Maryville for two years before attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he graduated cum laude in 1972. Phil joined the Department of Defense Finance and Accounting Service at Fort Benjamin Harrison in 1983 and retired from there in 2004.

He married Kathleen Anne Howe Nov. 15, 1974, in Marysville, Kan. Phil was a member of the Monday Night Rotary and Christ Lutheran Church, both of Noblesville. He enjoyed professional wrestling, country music, gardening and playing cards. He will be much remembered for his love of a good joke and his willingness to be there for friends and strangers alike.

Survivors: wife, Kathy; son, William Robert, Noblesville; daughters, Sharah Maddox, Noblesville, Rebecca Baker, Danville, Ind.; grandson, James Baker; sisters, brothers-in-law, Anna and Burl Stottlemire, Lincoln, Sandra and Reggie Baigent, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Debbie and Junior Wagner of Alexander, Ark.; brother-in-law, wife, Ron and Chris Howe, Hinton, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Hollie Cummins, Copperas Cove, Texas, Lisa Olsen, Colorado Springs, Colo.; ten nephews; four nieces. Preceded in death by: parents; parents-in-law, Lloyd and Mavis (Nuessle) Howe; infant brother, Stephen; infant son, Christopher; nephew, Kirby Burchett.

Services: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Christ Lutheran Church, Noblesville. The Rev. Adrian Piazza. Visitation: 4-8 p.m. today, with family 5-8 p.m., Hughes Family Mortuary, Noblesville. Additional services: 2:30 p.m. Oct. 30, United Methodist Church, Elmo. The Rev. Melvin Luetchens. Elmo Oddfellows Cemetery. Visitation: with family 5-8 p.m. Oct. 29, Price Funeral Home, Maryville, Mo. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, to family or Christ Lutheran Church, Noblesville. Online condolences may be left at www.wagnerandhughes.com. q