Ned B Baker

Born January 4, 1922, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Margaret Belle Binnington and John Reynold Baker, Ned was raised in the Sugarhouse area and attended South High School (graduated in 1940). At that time, his interest peaked in their ROTC program, and he later attended the University of Utah where he continued his participation in the ROTC program with intention of becoming an aviation cadet even though he had never flown before.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Ned went straight to the recruitment center and took the qualifying examination. The rest was history as he qualified to enter pilot training for the Army Air Corps and was immediately sent to San Antonio, Texas where he graduated, ranking advanced, and trained as a night fighter. He served as a night fighter during WWII with 85 successful missions and was promoted to Commander of Aviation Units with 200 combat missions. He served as the Aviation Advisor to the Oklahoma National Guard being awarded a certificate as Honorary Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. Then, Ned was promoted to the 15th Aviation Battalion Commander in Korea, and eventually to the Chief of Flight Training at the Army Aviation Center and Colonel.

While in Korea, Ned met his lovely wife, Virginia Anne Jones, a surgical nurse for the military hospital, while trying to find a “better meal” than what the mess hall offered. They hit it off and were married on October 22, 1961.

After retirement from the Army in 1966, Ned accepted the position of head of the ROTC in Salt Lake City, officially retiring in 1974 and moving to Sacramento, California. He returned to Salt Lake City in 1990 where he and Virginia resided together until her death on February 20, 2000. Ned resided in Salt Lake through December 2014 when he was moved to Central Utah Veterans Home in Payson, Utah where he received tender nursing care through the time of his passing.

Ned is preceded in death by his parents: Margaret Belle Binnington Baker Peterson and John Reynold Baker; his wife, Virginia; his brothers: Wilfred Baker, John Reynold (Renny) Baker, Harry (Bud) Peterson, and Peter Peterson; and his sister, Darlene Baker.

He is survived by his brother, George LeRoy (Roy) Baker; his sister, Peggy Burns; sisters in-law: Barbara Peterson, and Theresa Baker; his nephews: Mike Baker and Stephen Baker; and many other loved nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, March 20, 2015 at 11:00 am, in the Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Dr., Salt Lake City, where family and friends may call at 10:00am prior to services.

Entombment, Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Everlasting Mausoleum.