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Raymond (Ray) Baker a resident of Albuquerque since September 1953 passed away at his home on April 25, 2009 after a hard fought battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife of almost 66 years, Ardie; daughter Karone Finger and husband Denny of Kansas; son Gary Baker and wife Fran of Virginia; grandchildren Amy Quick and Chad Baker both of Virginia; and one great granddaughter Addison also of Virginia; brother Lloyd Baker; sisters Erma Matthews and Naomi Hamilton of Oklahoma; sister in-law Laverta Moon; nieces, nephews and many friends and church family. Ray was preceded in death by his sister Muriel Sellers and his brother in-law Jack Hamilton. He was born in Catoosa, Oklahoma on a farm where he picked cotton, milked cows and worked odd jobs to survive the Great Dustbowl Era. Upon graduation from High School in 1937, he hitchhiked to Fresno, California, to work in the grape and cotton fields. After a year, he returned home on a Greyhound bus. In April of 1938 he joined the Navy and was aboard the USS Curtiss in Pearl Harbor manning a machine gun during the Japanese attack. Ray spent World War II in the Pacific - Wake Island, Guam, Espiritu Santo Island, Solomon Islands, Iwo Jima, Kwajalein, Eenwatak for the atomic bomb testing, Marshall Islands, Okinawa, Midway, Fiji and Samoa. After several assignments including Cartagena, Colombia, the Navy sent Ray to Sandia Base in 1953 for duty at the Special Weapons Program. He remained in Albuquerque after his retirement from the Navy and began a successful second career at the Federal Aviation Agency. Following his time with FAA, Ray became interested in investments and worked with St. Paul Mutual Funds and other retirement vehicles. Ray married his lifetime love and soul mate Ardie on June 26, 1943. He was President of the Albuquerque Chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors, an active member of Christ United Methodist Church of Albuquerque, Eastern Star, Scottish Rite of Santa Fe Lodge of Perfection, Ballut Abyad Shrine Temple, the Fleet Reserve Association, the National Association of Security Dealers and was a third degree Mason. Ray enjoyed golf, family, golf, friends, and golf. Family and friends may visit French Mortuary, Lomas location, on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 10 a.m. at French Lomas Chapel, 10500 Lomas Blvd., NE, Albuquerque. Burial will be at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 3 p.m. on the same day. Should friends desire donations may be made in Ray's name to Christ United Methodist Church 6200 Gibson Blvd SE, 87108. Please visit our online guestbook for Ray at RememberTheirStory.com French 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE (505) 275-3500
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