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Ronald Baker '70 February 10, 2023 1:51 PM updated: February 10, 2023 1:59 PM

Ronald Harlan Baker
November 13, 1939 – December 11, 2022

Ronald Harlan Baker passed away from complications due to Myasthenia Gravis on Sunday, December 11, 2022.

Born in Williamson County on November 13, 1939, Ron was a force of nature--a retired teacher who wore many hats both in his teaching career and in other fields. With a keen mechanical brain, there was not much that he couldn’t fix. His bent toward perfectionism also made him a skilled carpenter…albeit a slow one. At the time of his death, he had at least 50 pending projects and left his family with direct orders as to how to finish them.

Ron got his Associates degree from Tarleton College (TSU) in 1960, his Bachelors from North Texas State University (UNT) in 1963. In 1969 he was selected for a nation-wide cohort from the National Science Foundation to complete a Masters at Texas A&M.

He was a licensed pilot as well as air conditioning and refrigeration, and RV technician. If it was mechanical, he wanted to conquer it. While Ron was at Tarleton, he met and married Mary Beth Cornell. They shared over 64 years of teaching, camping, dancing, and raising a family. He loved the outdoors, having been raised hunting, fishing and camping, he instilled those interests in his daughters, recently renovating a 1969 vintage camper for his daughter to continue the camping tradition. Hunting was one of his first passions and he hunted deer, elk, and any bird he could take aim at. He was extremely competitive and would usually bring home the prize. He later guided elk hunts and served as “cookie” on hunting expeditions in NM. He would fix anything for anybody and was always quick to lend a helping hand. If you mentioned you had a mechanical issue, it wasn’t long for him to just “take a look.” His mind was working on problems until his last day.

Ron and Mary raised three girls and he loved being “Pop” to all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Mary Beth (Cornell), daughters, Kimberly Lynn Baker Schnider (Vern), Diana Baker Freeman, and Ronda Baker. He is also survived by grandchildren, Lynna Bartosh, Blake Bartosh (Courtney), Dustin Freeman (Britney), Samantha Shorey (Josh), Ashley Schnider and Lucas Schnider (Cheyenne) and greatgrandchildren, Walter and Winnie Burks, Dawson and Delilah Freeman, Kaylie and Kenzlee Bartosh, and Jet, Linkin, and Rowan Schnider and a sister, Gayle Baker. He loved his nephews James Dudley Mooney, Jr. (Kelli Stumbo), Clint Whitehead, Roger, Rex, Robert and Franklin Baker, nieces, Teresa Baker, Crystal Overby, Tara Baker Guerrero Georgeson, Marissa Baker Guerrero and numerous great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey and Lois Baker, his brothers, Harvey Norman and Roger Baker as well as his sister and brother-in Law, Joy and James Mooney. He was one of the surviving patriarchs of the Baker clan, leaving behind many beloved cousins. He was proud of his Baker roots in Central Texas.

Memorials can be made in Ronald’s memory to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation: donate.myasthenia.org 

IN THE CARE OF
Riley Funeral Home

 



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