Lived and Loved September 26, 1935 to November 21, 2020 It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of our father, Gary Baker. Dad was in the hospital 3 ½ months due to a successful hip surgery but complications/infections after the fact kept him in care. Dad finally came home on November 21, 2020 to family he loved, and took his peaceful last breath. He was charismatic, generous, and loyal. Dad was known as a man who treasured his family and friends. His big heart and beaming smile will always be remembered with love. About our Dad Gary Baker – By his Son Curtis Baker What is the meaning of life you ask? – For our Dad it was all about his friends and family and a passionate loyalty to all of them. He truly loved and cared about all of us. A phone call, a dinner, Christmas Eve with his family, or playing the horse, didn’t matter as long as we were together in some way. It gave him strength and sense of purpose, I think. The love and enjoyment of each other, as we have fun together. Ironic that he has passed in a time when getting together is literally forbidden by law. Had he lived, I think you know what Dad would say they could do with their law…(censored!!) What is truly amazing about our Dad, is that in spite of his significant health problems, he never focused on what he couldn’t do. With tremendous courage he met each day with enthusiasm, joy and appreciation for what he could do. Going for a long drive, a great show on Tv, a wonderful meal or being with his family and friends, he loved it all. He lived his life on his terms, right until the end, and I feel we are all better off to have known and loved him. Likes – People: he loved people, getting together with friends, lifelong friends well working as a Longshoreman since 1959 until he retired 1999: Scotty Moore and wife Jeannie, Tony and Eve Ewasiak, Don and Marie Turner/later Norm, Dave McKee, Danny Durella and wife Joan (Playing horses), Gus Batista and wife Maria ,Dugey Machanlas and wife Sue , Louie Lajeunesse and wife Lorraine, Gordy Friendship, Dick Hardy and so many and we can’t forget you Ross Rosscamp (and wife Flo), so many good times at Rosses Place on Triumph Street in East Vancouver… (used to love the Ross Rosscamp NFL football pool.) Pool parties, cocktails house parties, going to the Beer Parlour, and going on vacation, camping, fishing and other good times with all you all…(it is a wonderful life!) Tammie, husband Paul and grandchildren Tyson and Josh, Brother Kenney his Father Ted Baker and Mother Louise Baker Uncle Kenney Baker and wife Madge and Sister Pat Baker (so many wonderful Christmas dinners there) All Dads aunts and uncles (His Mom had 10 Brothers and Sisters and he was closed to a lot of them), his nephew Darren and his wife Myshell Patch: Nieces Kim husband Rob Patch and Terry Lynn he had fond memories of our Mother Chloe and the life they had prior (Father Jack Desautel and wife Camellia, Mother Madeline and husband Leo, Sister Jackie and Husband Norm Ouston, Sister Jeanette and Ben Tinsley) Tammie/Curtis friends Randy Castle, Andy Netzel, Lorna Wilson and Stephanie and many others, Rhonda in Las Vegas who always kept his direct tv going on top of being an incredible sweet heart, his Mother (Louise), my friends Marilyn Clarke and Maureen Ward (Gordy Friendship's date), our friend Sam Bruns who was available for haircuts and the odd F bomb lol, and my friend Al Wilcox who was always so helpful fixing things for Dad. His newer family, Nilda (I have never seen a man love a women so, so much!!!), Daughter Eileen and husband Kevin and their 3 children Shane, Brandon and Madison. Dad lived for their visits and loved it when Kevin bought the dinner, Nilda's daughter Marie and Tim who live here for a while. Dad loved having them here so much (especially Tim’s Laugh), Nilda's oldest son Allan - Dad was very fond of him as he was the contact for the other children living in the Philippines: Alma, Alvin and Arnel., New friends Edith and Pompio He loved the house that he has lived in since 1962 (purchased for $16 K OMG) , going out for dinner, Long drives in his new Hyundai Santa Fe, good meals with lots of salt and pepper, Nilda’s cooking (OMG), golfing, fishing, camping, wind storms, horseracing, NFL football and the Green Bay Packers, home décor from the seventies (yellow was in), good movies and watching them with love ones, law and order special victims, the western channel on Direct TV, Nilda’s flowers and flower gardens, his grandchildren playing, dogs present and dogs gone by – Bella, Finnigan, , Amber, Cleo and Tiger Inskees Coninskees mmgoodnesses, mmgreatnesses mmmyesesmmyeses, going for drives with Nilda and/or his grandson Shane, a good laugh, that Yellow Umbrella and chair set in the back yard, sitting outside on the back deck, looking at the trees and the pool and having a nap, telling fond stories about times gone by, making Nilda happy, getting together with the boys at the Legion, a good scotch buzz, Music…Country, 50’s or before, Elvis and being at home with those he loved…. Dislikes – Trudeau, the Foreman at Port Moody Docks that fired him and Tony for not wearing a hard hat (you were allowed unload a container full of asbestos however), vegetables (other than cream corn), trying new things, , Bella’s dog hair on his black socks, power failures, cruelty of any kind, hospitals, Mike Lindell the “My Pillow Guy”, any movie where someone wears a cape, rap music, people who talk too much, profanity, rats running on his carpet, people wearing their hair in a bun (men or women), people with short arms and deep pockets, friends passing away and missing people he loved. Sayings – “Nilda Nilda the most beautiful girl in the whole neighborhood (said roughly 4 or 5 times a day)”, "yawns always came in 3’s", "don't start that....." , "my way or the highway" and his signature saying “Darlin, Darlin”. Paying your Respects: Please feel free to leave you condolences on this site, as it will up for the next 2 months. The family would really love however if your able to leave them on his Facebook page as we can have those forever. (Gary Baker Port Moody and he will come up). Nilda really loves Facebook and I think would enjoy reading your thoughts and feeling about Dad. Flowers are not necessary. We are hoping to do a celebration of life, in the spring and you may want to contribute in a small way once we have a date on the event.