John Rodney Baker

John R. Baker, 71, died at his Ilwaco residence following a short illness with cancer, surrounded by family and friends, on December 3, 2010. John was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on October 14, 1939, the son of Harry and Doris (Boren) Baker. When he was four years old he moved to Winlock, Washington where he lived with his grandparents and a great aunt and uncle on a farm which raised dairy cattle and eggs. By the time John graduated from Winlock High School in 1957 he had 17 head of dairy cattle and his own "can number". He attended Centralia Junior College for a year majoring in agriculture. John was employed at Longview Fibre Company for 12 years before the commercial fishing bug bit. In 1971 he moved to Ilwaco where he and his wife Muriel fished together aboard the F/V Murzy with their daughter Samantha. The threesome trolled for salmon off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California for many years and later also fished the same waters for albacore tuna. In 1999 the F/V Theron was purchased and fished up until John's illness. John served as a member of the boards of both the Federation of Independent Seafood Harvesters and the Washington Trollers Association. A man of many interests, he enjoyed coin and stamp collecting, model railroading, growing bonsai trees and gardening in general. A skilled woodworker, he excelled at refinishing furniture. He married Greta Steele and they were parents of a son John and daughter Michelle. Later he married Muriel Thuma on November 3, 1966 and they were parents of daughter Samantha. John is survived by his wife of 44 years; son John (Pamela) Baker of Rochester, WA; daughters Michelle Lewis of Las Vegas, NV and Samantha (Jason) Taylor of Ilwaco, WA; seven grandchildren Teaya Nelson, Trisha and Zachary Belcher, John Nelson Amanda, Nicole and Jessie Lewis; one great-grandchild Stephen Nelson; and brother Harry Mac (Diane)Baker and niece Stacy of Sperry, Oklahoma. Celebration of his life will be held at The Arteśan in Ilwaco at 2:00 PM on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 2:00 PM with a dessert potluck following. Memorials may be made to Harbors Home Health and Hospice, 210 Seventh St., Hoquiam, Washington 98550. His guestbook is available at www.penttilaschapel.com.