Loren Baker

Loren was born at the Mitchell, South Dakota hospital on September 29, 1930. His parents, Avery & Eva (Burns) Baker lived on a farm near White Lake, South Dakota at the time. His family later moved to Nebraska to farm, where Loren attended grade school. In 1941 they moved to a farm in the Rushmore, MN area where Loren attended and graduated from Worthington High School in 1948. He played football and basketball in school and continued to love sports the rest of his life. Loren joined the Navy and served 4 years during the Korean War. Loren and Janice were high school classmates and were joined in marriage, following his Navy service, on April 14, 1956 in Worthington. After attending trade school in Wahpeton, North Dakota, they moved to Helena, Montana for a job there. The couple''s 3 children were born during a wonderful 10 year stay in Montana. Loren bought a business in Blue Earth in 1967 and has lived here over 40 years. He considered Blue Earth a great place to live, a great place to raise children with great educators.Loren started wood carving in the 1990''s and became very good at it. He loved attending workshops, seminars, carving meetings and just talking to carvers and sharing ideas. Loren''s carvings are placed from Florida to California. His surviving family include his wife, Janice Baker of Blue Earth, his daughter, Laurie (& Wayne) Vlasak of Rochester, his daughter, Debra Ann Baker of Moorpark, California, his son, Robert (& Christine) Baker of Rochester, his brother, Avery (& Helen) Baker of Fargo, 5 grandchildren: Mike & Andrea Vlasak, Lauryn & Jordyn Baker and Michelle Fuller. Other relatives include many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Audrey (& Bob) Duffy of Worthington, Jim (& Joyce) Roberts of Sioux Falls, SD, Donna Hedman of New Richland, Tom (& Arlene) Roberts of Gillette, WY., Harold Roberts of Cedar Rapids, IA., Nancy (& Don) Pakko of White Bear Lake, Jerry (& Joyce) Roberts of Medford, Marilyn (& Jim) Weber of N. Mankato, JoAnn (& Gary) Krengel of Mapleton, Sylvia (& David) Gardner of The Villages, Florida, Janet Roberts of Mankato and many nieces, nephews, great nieces & great nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents, and 2 brothers, Marlyn and Russell Baker.