JUDGE VINCENT E. BAKER

1921 - 2015

Judge Vincent Edward Baker died March 17, 2015. He was born Sept. 26, 1921, in Robinson, Ill., to Bert and Roxie Baker. At the height of the Great Depression, his family moved to Kansas, where he graduated from high school. Vincent enlisted in the Kansas National Guard in 1939 and his unit was mobilized in 1940 (prior to Pearl Harbor). He was commissioned as an artillery officer after graduation from officer candidate school in March, 1943. His unit was shipped to England on the Queen Elizabeth that November. He was then assigned as a replacement to the 58th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, which had already suffered numerous combat casualties in North Africa and Sicily. Vincent and his comrades landed on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, (D- day). He served as a forward artillery observer in support of many different units in campaigns from Normandy through Germany and Austria. Wounded five times in action, he earned a battlefield promotion to First Lieutenant. Awards include: Purple Heart with Oak-Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal (with "V" device for valor) with Oak-Leaf Cluster, five Campaign Stars, Bronze initial landing Arrowhead, European Theatre Ribbon with campaign stars for Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe. After the surrender he was appointed military mayor of Reid, Austria. Vincent served with the US Army Reserve until his military retirement. In 2005 Vincent was inducted into the Order of St. Barbara, an honor bestowed by the 161st Field Artillery. In 2014 the president of France, Francois Hollande, appointed Vincent Chevalier (Knight) in the Legion of Honour. Vincent attended college on the G.I. bill and he graduated from Kansas City University (now UMKC) School of Law, in 1953. He was elected Missouri State Senator from the 10th District in 1955. From 1972- 1974 he served as Republican Attorney for the Kansas City Election Board. In 1981 he was appointed Associate Circuit Judge by Governor Christopher "Kit" Bond. He retired in 1991 but continued to serve as Senior Judge until 2004. He was a lifetime member of VFW Post 5789 and of American Legion Post 21; he was a 32nd Degree Mason and belonged to Lyons, Kan., Lodge 192, Summit Lodge 263, and to the Ararat Shrine Temple of the Scottish Rite. He also belonged to the Missouri and Kansas City Bar Associations. Vincent was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Philip J. Baker, M.D., daughter, Roxie Baker and son, James Edward "Jeb" Baker. He is survived by wife, Fran, daughter, Jenifer Flesher, son, Shane Baker, granddaughters, Emily Tricaso and Kellie Farris, great-grandchildren, Michael, Carina, Joey and Vincent Tricaso and Lila, Elijah and Moriah Farris, numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, beloved friend, Fannie Hill, and a multitude of other good friends who were with him to the end. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 27, at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Meyer and Wornall, KCMO, with visitation at 1 p.m. Interment at Memorial Park Cemetery, 8251 Hillcrest Road, KCMO. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Kansas City Hospice, 1500 Meadow Lake Parkway, Suite 200, KCMO 64114; Disabled American Veterans, 4801 E. Linwood, KCMO 64128, or a charity of choice. C