1941 – 2022
Husband, Father, Firefighter, Friend
Passed away peacefully at his home on May 14, 2022.
James “Jim” Baker was born June 26, 1941 to James Brown Baker and Eunice (Chaillier) Baker.
They lived in Minneapolis where he attended Catholic parochial grade school and North high school in Minneapolis.
As a young man he was employed as a cook at some of the finer restaurants in Minneapolis and later worked for the Hennepin County Highway Department.
In 1973, he became a Minneapolis Firefighter and later a Fire Motor Operator in the department. Jim loved his job and the “brotherhood” of the firefighters that he worked with. He was proud to be a Minneapolis firefighter where he worked for 30 years, retiring in 2003.
Jim married the love of his life, Conni Kathman, in 1990.
Jim had many hobbies: fishing, hunting, woodcarving, tennis, gardening, cooking and spending time at their family cabin near Slayton, MN. His favorite place in the world was Cozumel, Mexico where he, Conni and their family and friends vacationed every year.
He touched many lives – he taught many lessons – he will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.
Jim is survived by his wife of 32 years, Conni; sons, Brian (Jessica), Ben (Marie), and Tarek (Stephanie); grandchildren, Jessica, Taylor, Tarynn, and James; and great-granddaughter, Scarlett.
