William R. "Bill" Baker

     William R. “Bill” Baker, age 92, of Elsie, MI, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at Ovid Healthcare Center, Ovid, MI.

    Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie, MI, on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at 1:00 P.M.  Burial will take place at Ithaca Cemetery, Ithaca, MI.  Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2023, from 11:00 A.M. until the time of the service at the funeral home.    

     Bill was born in Keyser, West Virginia, on February 17, 1931, the son of Robert and Pauline (Longsford) Baker.  After high school, he relocated to Michigan to work in his father’s grocery store.  He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve during the Korean War, was called to Naval Station Great Lakes and remained stateside.  His career included working for a construction company in Lansing, General Motors in Lansing, then Midland-Ross Corporation in Owosso, MI. 

     He married a Michigan girl, Barbara Anne Lydle, on November 3, 1951, in St. Johns, MI; and they were together for over seventy years.  They were blessed with four children: Ruth Ann, David, Timothy, and Peter, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. 

    He enjoyed traveling with the family on many trips over the years as the kids grew.  In retirement, he and Barb enjoyed seasons in Colorado and Florida.  He also enjoyed an ever-present Collie dog.

     He is survived by his wife Barbara Baker of Elsie, MI; children: David Baker of Elsie, MI; Ruth Ann of Poland, OH; Peter of New Fairfield, CT; as well as their grandchildren and great-grandchild; and his sisters: Gwen Graham of Grand Blanc, MI; and Roberta Baker of Elsie, MI.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Timothy, and one sister and three brothers.

     Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.  Online condolences may be made at www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com.  The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie, Michigan.