What I remember most about my dad was how he loved to plan things. He would sit and make a list way ahead of time and he and mom would check things off as they went along. He especially loved planning for the family reunions at Campbell County Park and I know he would love the fact that we are all getting together this year.
Dad loved his brothers and sisters and our lives centered around spending time with them. I can remember Alice, Ann and Lila coming to our house in northern KY and sitting around playing cards for days. I never was much of card player but they seemed so happy spending time together. They would take a break and sit at the piano together, singing hymns, taking turns at the piano. It always amazed me as a child to watch Aunt Alice play piano with her missing fingers. She could fly across the keys just the same as if they were there.
Probably my best memories center around our family trips to Florida. We didn't have much growing up but somehow dad and mom always saved enough for us to go to Florida each year. The best trips were when the whole family went with all the aunts and cousins. We had so much fun on the beach and building sandcastles. Dad loved to plan those trips right down to where we would stop for gas and where we would eat. He would start his lists early in the summer and add to them up until we left. I wish my kids could have experienced a trip like that while they were young. It was so much fun.
My son is now in college and was planning a spring break trip. He started making a list of what he needed to pack and he reminded me of my dad getting his maps together and putting them in a folder! I went on line and looked up the El Caribe Hotel where we stayed many times. He and his friends were planning on staying there and I wished I was going too! El Caribe better watch out!! Maybe I should have called and warned them the Bakers are coming their way.
Even long after we were grown mom and dad would take their grandkids to Florida -- Todd, Jeremy, Melissa & Michelle. They took them all to Disney World and to Daytona Beach. I wish my children could have had that experience with their grandparents too.
I miss them both a lot and I know they will be smiling down on us at Natural Bridge this June. Weeks before, I will start my list of things to bring, just like my dad did. My friends make fun of me sometimes because I am such a planner. I just laugh and tell them I can't help it -- it is my dad's fault. - Pam
Uncle Bill was a lot of things to a lot of people. I know he taught school for many years and I'm sure he touched a lot of students. I know he was a family man and loved his wife and children. He also was a family man with the extended family too. But sometimes there is one thing that stands out about someone. And that one thing for me was when he encouraged me by a letter to take a special class that was being offered to me at school. That letter meant so much to me because he expressed how much he thought about me being able to succeed and do well in school. It meant a lot at that time in my high school life to have someone take the time out of their busy life to write me a letter of encouragement. What stands out about Aunt Ruth was that she was always so sweet and kind. I never remember hearing a cross word from her. She was always thinking about others. - Patricia
Here's a pieced together story that will be credited to Patsy Wilson and Marilyn Harr. It's about Uncle Bill and/or Richard and/or Danny Harr. The story is that they were on a fishing trip along with some other family and friends and got hungry. They were somewhere close to a large group of people having a family reunion and they went over and got a plate of food and visited and talked awhile and then went on their merry way. - Patsy and Marilyn
REFLECTIONS ON MY UNCLE BILL AND AUNT RUTH
The Florida trips of course. I consider these trips the glue of my childhood memories. They are what my mind wanders to when thinking of the past. As Pam said, the planning! The early morning role call on the day of departure. The big breakfasts on the way down, surrounded by family. The anticipation...the excitement! Riding in the back of the Wilson's bright green truck without seatbelts...listening to Ricky's AUDIO RECORDED tapes of Star Trek episodes (I'm not kidding).
- The card playing.
- The Family Reunions.
- The stories about teaching.
- The card playing.
- The walking over the bridge to get to the Cincinnati Red's Games with Uncle Bill and my Dad.
- The love for Kentucky Basketball.
- The card playing.
- The big Sunday breakfasts at the house in Northern Kentucky.
- The interest shown by both of them to me. Looking back, how did they have the time?
These memories and so many more made possible by Uncle Bill's careful planning and both of their emphasis on family.
Because of Auth Ruth and Uncle Bill I am.....a teacher, a reader, a lover of all things ocean (planning our trip to Cocoa Beach next week) and an honored family member of the Baker Clan. Thank-you...
- Amy (Harr) Gaynor
A MEMORY OF RUTH BAKER
I was telling this story to Marilyn and she said "you should put that on the blog." Funny how memories pop up when we're talking with someone. So, here goes . . . .
Aunt Ruth stayed with us one summer (or at least part of the summer.) My mother was in the hospital with heart problems (Ann) and Aunt Ruth was coming to Lexington to go to summer school (I think it had something to do with continuing education for her teaching job.) So however the grown-ups decided these things, Aunt Ruth stayed at our place for the summer. We lived in the housing project at the time. As I recall she had Pam with her and Pam was a little one running around in a walker. The kind of walker where you could zoom all over the place. The kind they would probably rule unsafe these days. Anyhow, Pam loved it.
I can't remember all the details like who watched Pam while Ruth was at school but I do remember that Aunt Ruth took really good care of us. She cooked good meals and put Tide in our bathwater to keep the tub from having a dirt ring. Our house was really clean that summer! - Patricia
THANK YOU, CHERYL FOR YOUR PICTURES AND YOUR LETTER ABOUT TODD.
Dad loved his brothers and sisters and our lives centered around spending time with them. I can remember Alice, Ann and Lila coming to our house in northern KY and sitting around playing cards for days. I never was much of card player but they seemed so happy spending time together. They would take a break and sit at the piano together, singing hymns, taking turns at the piano. It always amazed me as a child to watch Aunt Alice play piano with her missing fingers. She could fly across the keys just the same as if they were there.
Probably my best memories center around our family trips to Florida. We didn't have much growing up but somehow dad and mom always saved enough for us to go to Florida each year. The best trips were when the whole family went with all the aunts and cousins. We had so much fun on the beach and building sandcastles. Dad loved to plan those trips right down to where we would stop for gas and where we would eat. He would start his lists early in the summer and add to them up until we left. I wish my kids could have experienced a trip like that while they were young. It was so much fun.
My son is now in college and was planning a spring break trip. He started making a list of what he needed to pack and he reminded me of my dad getting his maps together and putting them in a folder! I went on line and looked up the El Caribe Hotel where we stayed many times. He and his friends were planning on staying there and I wished I was going too! El Caribe better watch out!! Maybe I should have called and warned them the Bakers are coming their way.
Even long after we were grown mom and dad would take their grandkids to Florida -- Todd, Jeremy, Melissa & Michelle. They took them all to Disney World and to Daytona Beach. I wish my children could have had that experience with their grandparents too.
I miss them both a lot and I know they will be smiling down on us at Natural Bridge this June. Weeks before, I will start my list of things to bring, just like my dad did. My friends make fun of me sometimes because I am such a planner. I just laugh and tell them I can't help it -- it is my dad's fault. - Pam
Uncle Bill was a lot of things to a lot of people. I know he taught school for many years and I'm sure he touched a lot of students. I know he was a family man and loved his wife and children. He also was a family man with the extended family too. But sometimes there is one thing that stands out about someone. And that one thing for me was when he encouraged me by a letter to take a special class that was being offered to me at school. That letter meant so much to me because he expressed how much he thought about me being able to succeed and do well in school. It meant a lot at that time in my high school life to have someone take the time out of their busy life to write me a letter of encouragement. What stands out about Aunt Ruth was that she was always so sweet and kind. I never remember hearing a cross word from her. She was always thinking about others. - Patricia
Here's a pieced together story that will be credited to Patsy Wilson and Marilyn Harr. It's about Uncle Bill and/or Richard and/or Danny Harr. The story is that they were on a fishing trip along with some other family and friends and got hungry. They were somewhere close to a large group of people having a family reunion and they went over and got a plate of food and visited and talked awhile and then went on their merry way. - Patsy and Marilyn
REFLECTIONS ON MY UNCLE BILL AND AUNT RUTH
The Florida trips of course. I consider these trips the glue of my childhood memories. They are what my mind wanders to when thinking of the past. As Pam said, the planning! The early morning role call on the day of departure. The big breakfasts on the way down, surrounded by family. The anticipation...the excitement! Riding in the back of the Wilson's bright green truck without seatbelts...listening to Ricky's AUDIO RECORDED tapes of Star Trek episodes (I'm not kidding).
- The card playing.
- The Family Reunions.
- The stories about teaching.
- The card playing.
- The walking over the bridge to get to the Cincinnati Red's Games with Uncle Bill and my Dad.
- The love for Kentucky Basketball.
- The card playing.
- The big Sunday breakfasts at the house in Northern Kentucky.
- The interest shown by both of them to me. Looking back, how did they have the time?
These memories and so many more made possible by Uncle Bill's careful planning and both of their emphasis on family.
Because of Auth Ruth and Uncle Bill I am.....a teacher, a reader, a lover of all things ocean (planning our trip to Cocoa Beach next week) and an honored family member of the Baker Clan. Thank-you...
- Amy (Harr) Gaynor
A MEMORY OF RUTH BAKER
I was telling this story to Marilyn and she said "you should put that on the blog." Funny how memories pop up when we're talking with someone. So, here goes . . . .
Aunt Ruth stayed with us one summer (or at least part of the summer.) My mother was in the hospital with heart problems (Ann) and Aunt Ruth was coming to Lexington to go to summer school (I think it had something to do with continuing education for her teaching job.) So however the grown-ups decided these things, Aunt Ruth stayed at our place for the summer. We lived in the housing project at the time. As I recall she had Pam with her and Pam was a little one running around in a walker. The kind of walker where you could zoom all over the place. The kind they would probably rule unsafe these days. Anyhow, Pam loved it.
I can't remember all the details like who watched Pam while Ruth was at school but I do remember that Aunt Ruth took really good care of us. She cooked good meals and put Tide in our bathwater to keep the tub from having a dirt ring. Our house was really clean that summer! - Patricia
THANK YOU, CHERYL FOR YOUR PICTURES AND YOUR LETTER ABOUT TODD.
Bill and Ruth's Great Grandchildren:Peyton, Kyle, Griffin, Colyer, and McKenna
Grandchildren Jeremy and Melissa above and
Melissa's twin sister Michelle below
Todd (1980 photo)
In February, 1973, Bill and Ruth's first grandchild was born. We named him Todd William. He was a beautiful little boy and brought us so much joy. As he grew, Grandma and Grandpa shared many great times with him. They'd take him to swimming lessons and basketball and enjoyed watching him play basketball, football, and baseball. He learned to love sports and play golf because of his Grandpa. He loved pepperoni pizza because of Grandma. He talked about all his trips to Florida with them all the time.
Todd lived in Columbus where he graduated after a 5 year apprenticeship in sprinkler fitting. He exceeded in workmanship and was commended highly by his employer. He married the woman of his dreams, Stacey, and was such a loving and respectable husband to her. Their 2 dogs were like children to them.
When he came home, he insisted that his friends and family go out with him for chicken wings and beer. Watching the Bengals, playing Fantasy Football, and Texas Hold'em were his favorite hobbies.
Todd was our "get up and go man." He made things happen and always had a big smile. His brother and sisters, niece and nephews meant the world to him.
Todd wouldn't miss a family reunion if he could help it and was looking forward to the upcoming one.
We miss him dearly.
He is no longer with us physically, but he is with us everyday in spirit and will be in our hearts forever. - Love from Todd's Family.
Todd and Stacey
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