Kenneth Holdstock Baker, 87, died peacefully Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, in Buffalo, N.Y. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at Memorial Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Thursday. Burial will be at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville. Ken was born Sept. 1, 1924, in Glendale, Calif. He was 3 years old when his mother died suddenly and his father, unable to cope with two young children alone, moved him and his brother, Phillip, into the Masonic Home orphanage in Covina, Calif. As a child, he loved water in any form, whether swimming, boating or rowing. Throughout high school, he served as president of his class while playing varsity tennis and football. At 18, he left the Masonic Home for the University of California, Los Angeles, studying industrial management and serving on the UCLA men's rowing team. After two years, Ken left college to join the U.S. Navy, enlisting on Nov. 24, 1942. As radio technician third class, Ken fought in the Pacific on the USS Mount Olympus, earning the Victory medal with his fellow crew members for the liberation of the Philippines. He was present in the flotilla surrounding the Battleship Missouri when the Japanese surrender was signed onboard, formally ending World War II. He received his honorable discharge from the Navy on April 13, 1946. Returning to school and earning his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, Ken worked from June 1949 to April 1951 as an underwriter for Occidental Life Insurance, while at the same time serving in the Air Force Reserves. In April 1951, he was called up for active duty as a staff sergeant to fight in the Korean War. After only two months training as an intelligence specialist at Lowry Air Force Base, he was transferred into a position as a technical instructor. He was honorably discharged in August 1952. While serving during the Korean War, he met his future wife, Ada Alvira Martin, when her family invited service men into their home for Sunday dinner. After a whirlwind romance, they married on Sept. 30, 1951, in Derby, Colo. The young couple attended Bible college together, focusing on missionary studies. Together, Ken and Ada faithfully served through church and work in local church-sponsored food pantries. Though the family eventually grew to five children (four girls and one boy), born over the span of 18 years, a restlessness and adventuresome quality kept Ken moving from place to place with his family until the very end of his life. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ada Martin Baker; his parents, Douglas and Alice Brown Baker; and daughter Pamela Bladen. He is survived by his children, Elizabeth (Christian Woehr) Baker of St. Louis, Kate (Timothy) Knechel of Shiloh, Ill., Carol Field of Lebanon, Ill., and Dr. David (Dr. Olga) Baker of Williamsville, N.Y.; eight grandchildren, Jason Baker, Robin Woehr, Julie Field, Jessica Field, Curtis Bladen, Nathan Bladen, Ariana Knechel and Sofia Baker; two great-grandchildren, Jesse Baker and Olivia Baker; and his brother, Phillip (Cornelia) Baker of Franklin Lakes, N.J.