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BAKER -- Joe B. Baker, Jr. passed away on Thursday, March 3, 2005 at age 85. Joe was born in Santa Anna, TX on March 7, 1919. His family moved to Hobbs, NM in 1935. Joe graduated from Hobbs H.S. in 1936, having been quarterback of the famous 1935 Hobbs football team. He enrolled at the University of New Mexico in 1936, played freshman football and joined Sigma Chi fraternity that year. He was a house boy at the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority house for two years and luckily met his future wife there. In the fall of 1940, Joe took flying lessons at Cutter Carr and acquired his private pilot's license. He applied to the Army Air Corps to attend flying school and was called up in April 1941. He graduated as a Second Lieutenant from flying school at Luke Field in Phoenix on December 13, 1941. He transferred immediately to March Field California to fly submarine patrol on the west coast. In August 1942, he was ordered to the Aleutian Islands with the 21st Bomb Squadron and flew forty-four combat missions in the battles of Kiska and Attu. He was ordered back to the States in September 1943 and married Betty Budge in Las Vegas, NM on October 8, 1943. After a 30-day leave from combat duty, they reported to Smokey Hill AFB in Salina, KS where Joe became the Director of Flight Training for the crews of the new B-29 bombers. In that capacity he also served four months in Cuba in the spring of 1945. Major Baker was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force November 1943. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in the Aleutians. Back in civilian life, Joe was with B.F. Goodrich (seven years) and with an oil service subsidiary of Richardson Oil Co. in Lafayette, LA (eight years). Back in Albuquerque by 1960, he joined Mountain States Financial Corp. as a manager of their insurance division and retired 23 years later as president. Joe was a member of Central United Methodist Church since 1961. As a long-time member of Four Hills Country Club and in retirement, Joe enjoyed golf and his special golfing friends until rheumatoid arthritis forced him to stop playing in 2002. Joe is survived by his wife, Betty; daughter, Kathy Coll and husband, Lawrence, of Hobbs, NM; son, Joe B. Baker, DVM and wife, Connie of Albuquerque; two granddaughters, Katelyn Scott and Jori Sechrist and their spouses; two grandsons, Jebb Baker and Nicholas Baker; and great-granddaughter, Lauren Scott. He is also survived by his brother in-law, R.W. Erwin; and his niece, Jan Dorris, and spouse, of Taos, NM. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Dimp Baker and his sister, Barbara Erwin. A private family memorial service will be held at Santa Fe National Cemetery on Thursday, March 10, 2005. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, 1615 Copper Avenue NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106; or The Arthritis Foundation, Greater SW Chapter, 1313 E. Osborn Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85014. French Mortuary 1111 University Blvd NE 843-6333
        Published on: Mon March 07, 2005