Alvin Baker Obituary

Alvin Bernard Baker, loving Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather, Uncle, and Friend, passed away peacefully Sunday, February 16, 2025 at home in the comfort of loving family with him.
A lifelong Yooper he was born to Anna and Bernard Baker on August 5,1927 in a farmhouse in Harvey. Alvin was one of ten children and at 97, the last remaining sibling.
He grew up in Marquette and started his work ethic at the young age of 9 by helping deliver groceries. At 17 he joined the Navy where he served for 2 years on a ship in the Pacific during WWII and thereafter left with an Honorable discharge making him an honored Veteran of our country.
After returning home from the Navy he met his future Wife Gloria Rochon through friends and fell head over heels in love. They married in 1948 and built a life and family together.
He is survived by his 5 Daughters, Julie (Michael) Kunick, Gwinn, MI; Cynthia (George) Wagner, Green Bay, WI; Joanne Monty, Sands MI; Suzanne (Geoff) Mills, Gwinn, MI; Vicki Baker, Saginaw MI. Over the years they welcomed and loved 12 Grandchildren and 22 Great- Grandchildren.
He worked for CCI Mining for some early years of their marriage then started honing his skills at repairing when he worked for Montgomery Ward. His dreams were bigger. He wanted his own business. He was a hard worker, inventive, and had a sharp mathematical mind. He learned from others but was very much self taught in things he accomplished.
He built their first house in South Marquette where they raised their girls until the last 2 were preteens and bought and older farm type home and remodeled and added on to it. This during the years of having created his own business as a kitchen and bath designer, builder and installer. He took his son-in-laws as apprentices and taught them so many skills and built relationships with them as a second Father.
He spent a couple of years working in California after he closed his business near his beloved little sister where he and Gloria got to reconnect with her and her family and have so much fun as well.
Later in life when he retired he was still busy doing or building something all the time. He loved his Girls (as he would say), so much! He would do anything he could to make sure they were ok, even after they married. He delighted in family gatherings and having those memories with his girls and their families around.
He enjoyed fishing, golfing, playing horseshoes, picnicking with family, playing cribbage and farkle, cooking, and taking trips to see his kids wherever they lived, and building and creating things. He loved going to hunting camp with his Brothers and Nephews and would tell us many funny stories of his time there.
He also loved his "Kitty". The kitten my Mother wanted became His best pal.
He was a good cook and his bacon spaghetti and German potato salad were the best no one can quite recreate just as he made it. He loved making pancakes with strawberry sauce for visiting family breakfasts and it was always looked forward too. His absolute favorite was homemade lemon pie which Gloria always made him until she no longer could and then Suzanne made them. His birthday cakes changed to lemon pie instead as per his request.
He was preceded in death by his loving Wife, Gloria in January 2021, whom he cherished and loved greatly, and his parents and all his siblings long before.
He mourned the losses of one of his adult Grandsons, an infant Granddaughter, and 2 baby Great Grandchildren.
We would like to thank Jim Baker, Dad's Nephew for every visit and phone call to him in his elderly years. His relationship with him meant more than can be expressed.
Our family wishes to express our deepest thanks to U.P. Home Health and Hospice. Especially his longtime Nurse Dorothy. His Care Aide and family friend Marie who brought so much joy to him over the last 5 years, and the Hospice team of Monica and Sarah that cared for us as well as Dad in his final days.
Alvin requested no funeral but to remember him fondly with stories with laughter.
Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is assisting the family where memories may be shared at fassbenderswansonhansen.com
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