BAKER-- BERT O., of Kingston, WA - formerly a lifelong resident of Muskogee, OK - peacefully passed away with his family members at his side in Seattle, WA on July 26, 2004. Born to Bert and Gertrude Baker on May 14, 1918, Bert graduated from Muskogee Central High School in 1936, receiving honors in academics, basketball and baseball. He turned down an offer to sign a professional baseball contract with the Cincinnati Redlegs shortly after graduating from high school. Several years thereafter, his life was dramatically changed when he became a captain of a B-24 bomber group in the U.S. Army Air Corps. While in training, he married Gloria Hooker of Muskogee in San Angelo, TX on February 28, 1943. He was immediately called to duty in the European Theatre, where he flew numerous bombing missions from Italy to Germany. On his last mission, on May 24, 1944, he was shot down over Austria and captured by German forces. He was held as a prisoner of war for one year before being freed during George S. Patton's liberation of Europe. After World War II he was awarded the Purple Heart as well as numerous awards and medals for valor. After returning to Muskogee following the war, he was employed as a District Manager for Commercial Credit Corporation. In 1951 he became President of Commercial Finance Company, a position he held for sixteen years. In 1967 he became President of Commercial National Bank, from which he retired in 1994 as Chairman of the Board. His abilities and influence as a banker were felt throughout the state of Oklahoma. With his 2 sons, John and Jerry, he served on seven different bank boards and on the board of the Oklahoma Bankers Association. With the help of his loyal employees and his 2 sons, Bert led the growth of a single bank to a prominent multi-bank holding company, Commercial Landmark Corporation, which included banks in Muskogee, Tulsa, Tahlequah and Fort Gibson. Since 1981, he served on the board of directors of Winnercomm, Inc., one of the leading television production companies in the United States and the largest independent producer of programming for the ESPN networks. One of Bert's primary areas of civic involvement was with the Muskogee General Hospital. He was a longtime member of the hospital's board of trustees and was the driving force in the fundraising effort for the first "CAT scan system" at the hospital that helped to save many lives in the Muskogee area. Bert was also a member of the Board of Stewards at St. Paul Methodist Church and served as a board member or chairman of the Muskogee Industrial Trust, the Muskogee Port Authority, the Greater Muskogee Development Authority, the Muskogee Chamber of Commerce, Muskogee City Council, Muskogee Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Muskogee YMCA. Bert's beloved wife of 55 years, Gloria Ann Baker preceded him in death in 1998. He is survived by his beloved wife, Gloria Russell Baker of Kingston, WA; 2 sons, John A. Baker of Tulsa and Jerry B. Baker of Scottsdale, AZ; 2 daughters-in-law, Sharon Baker of Tulsa and Janet Baker of Muskogee; 3 stepdaughters, Deborah Young of Seattle, WA, Kelli Agodon of Kingston, WA and Jari Moen of New York; 9 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren. Bert will always be remembered for his loyalty to his family, love of his country and service and charity to his community. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Gloria A. Baker Endowed Nursing Scholarships, Connors State College, 2501 North 41st Street East, Muskogee, OK 74403 or the North Kitsap Fire & Rescue Community Partnership Funds, P.O. Box 41, Kingston, WA 98346 in memory of Bert O. Baker. Memorial service will be at 10 a.m., Friday, July 30 at St. Paul Methodist Church, 2130 West Okmulgee, Muskogee, OK.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/ourlives/article.aspx?subjectid=426&articleid=040729_Ob_a12_obbakerM&archive=yes