Robert Vernon BAKER

1926 - 2020

BAKER, Robert Vernon Robert Vernon Baker passed away on Friday, November 6, 2020 at the age of 94. He was born July 16, 1926 and he lived an extraordinary life. He came from pioneer stock that originated in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The story of his family is something out of the American history books. Bob was born on a farm near Ranchester, Wyoming. He always joked that he was born in a stable with a star shining up above. He had nine brothers and sisters, though one died at the age of two before he was born. They were hardworking but poor farming folk. When Bob was four years old his father was working a stump farm near Eloika Lake, Washington. It was there he lost his mother due to childbirth complications with his youngest brother. Bob was the second youngest child. When his mother passed away the weight of taking over the mother's role fell on the shoulders of his oldest sister, Jackie with a new baby and all the other children. In 1934 his father died of Typhoid Fever. By then the three oldest children were out on their own. There were six orphans at home. Ray, the baby, was adopted. Fred, who was 16 years old at the time rode the rails and eventually went into the Army. Jackie, with the help of her employer who was on the Hutton Settlement board of directors, was able to get the other four children; David, Vanita, Ruth and Bob into this orphanage. Bob lived at the Hutton Settlement from 1934 until 1942 and soon after joined the Navy. The Hutton Settlement was no ordinary orphanage and Bob often states how lucky he was to end up there. You'll find an interesting history on their website. It was a working farm and Bob learned honesty, integrity, how to work hard, the importance of education and developing goals for himself. It was a place of stability at a time when the country was going through the Great Depression. The other thing Bob discovered was his love of animals. Perhaps it was his need to care for and give affection to something that filled a void since he didn't have a mother or father. He was allowed to build some pens behind the big barn with what he called his menagerie of rabbits, pigeons, and chickens. When Bob got out of the Navy, he became a successful Spokane businessman starting with an upholstery shop, then his Custom Glass business and went on to invest in commercial property in Spokane. He never forgot his love of animals and the grounding of life on a farm. He bought property on Moran Prairie and raised Tennessee Walker horses as a pastime. Then he moved to a farm house on 80 acres off of Cedar Road. He became interested in exotic birds then zebras and llamas. He recreated his menagerie from there but on a much larger, more unique scale. He has owned camels, emus, ostrich, flamingoes, peacocks, alpacas, parrots, zebus, pygmy goats, boer goats, fallow deer, and of course what all farms should have, chickens. Not only did he own them but he learned about each animal and hand raised some of them. Getting up in the middle of the night to hand feed the baby camels, for example, to tame them to the human touch. Bob has generously shared his collection of animals through petting zoos or by inviting people to visit his farm. Bob was tireless and hardworking to the end. He maintained his farm, his business and was active in many charitable organizations like the Spokane Kiwanis Club. He has never forgotten the life given to him by the Hutton Settlement and has generously given back, not just to the settlement but to his community. Bob had two farm helpers, Mel and Dave who have been with him for over 20 years and become a part of his family. The routine of the farm was important to him and just months before his death he was walking through the field to the chicken coop doing the evening chores as he had for so many years. Through all the trials and tribulations his brothers and sisters have experienced he was so proud of how they have stayed a close-knit family through the generations. His friends, too numerous to name, are the truest of friends and as important to him as family. Bob was able to pass over peacefully, the way he wished, in his own bed on the farm he loved. Bob was preceded in death by his brothers Frank, Eugene, Fred and David; his sisters Jackie, Phyllis, Vanita and Ruth. He is survived by his brother, Ray, his son Terry, his step-daughters April and Renee and many nieces, nephews, as well as great and great great nieces and nephews. There will be a celebration of his life sometime in 2021 that has yet to be scheduled. Please send remembrances to the Hutton Settlement https://huttonsettlement.org/ which was so dear to his heart. The Big Red Barn https://bigredsbarn.com/ in Coeur d'Alene is a reflection of his love of animals. Remembrances or a visit to see the animals would help support them through these difficult times.