Albert Ardell Baker

October 14, 1927 - October 11, 2015

Albert A. Baker passed away at his home on October 11, 2015, with his loving family at his side, after a lengthy illness with Ipotiac Pulmonary Fibrosis.

He was born October 14, 1927, in Santa Monica, California to Friend and Annabel Baker. He grew up in Burbank and Hollywood, California where his father was a cinematographer in the movie industry on many well-known films.

Albert served in the Navy during WWII. After the war, he was married to Mary L. Highducheck on October 18, 1952. He attended college at California State University in Los Angeles, where he received a Master of Arts degree in Education. Albert worked as a high school instructor in Southern California in his early years teaching drafting, architecture and metal shop; and later as a business owner with his wife, Mary ""Lee"" of Tupperware distributorships in Baltimore, MD, Los Angeles, CA, and Jacksonville, NC.

He had a special love for auto racing and was a car enthusiast and collector of Porsches. He was a member of the Four Cylinder Club, Cal Club, and Sports Car Club of America in Southern California, and an active member of the Porsche Club and Friends of Grand Junction.

Albert and Lee moved to Grand Junction in 1980, where he continued to work until his retirement in 2000 as an architect with Design Specialists. In his retirement his interests included automobile restoration, woodworking, boating, snow skiing, and art.

Albert was preceded in death by his son, Brian, in 2010, and grandson, Andrew, in 1985. He is survived by his wife, Mary ""Lee""; his sons, Dale (Susan) of Cumming, Georgia; Christopher of San Mateo, California, and Cameron (Bonnie) of Grand Junction; seven cherished grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

A private memorial was held at his home and a celebration of life will be held at a later date.

He will be missed by so many. Donations may be made in his memory to the American Lung Association , www.lung.org/give and the Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate.

Published in The Daily Sentinel on Oct. 18, 2015