By Dan Zazelenchuk,
December 18, 1999
I grew up in this community at the Matador Coop Farm, and I've continued to live and farm here. And by the rule that anyone within 5 miles is a neighbour, I considered the Bakers as close neighbours because we lived only 3 miles apart as the crow or a Cessna 172 flies.
Many of you knew Gordon a lot longer than I did, but I felt that over the last 15 or so years I got to know him fairly well. We both enjoyed a spirited discussion; as Gordon would say, "It’s a discussion, not an argument!". But more particularly, we shared a love of flying. Many of my best flights around southern Saskatchewan were with him.
Gordon Stanley Baker passed away peacefully on Monday, December 13 at his home in Saskatoon. He is survived by Mae, his wife of 54 years, his sister Dorothy Leck, his daughter Bonnie Perrett, his son Terry Baker, and their families. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother Alan.
Gordon was born on July 7, 1921, south of Kyle at the farm home of his parents, Nathan and Louisa Baker. He was the eldest of the three children. He went to school from grades 1 to 10 at the Leyton country school, which was less than a mile west of their present farm site. Gordon finished his high school in Kyle, walking every morning 2 miles into Kyle along the railway tracks and making the return trip every afternoon, summer and winter. That walk likely intensified his interest in flying, which he had had from an early age.
At that time, he was also playing hockey for the local senior team. Elroy Gunderson recalls one particular game. Kyle was playing Cabri in Cabri. Kyle was trailing 6-1 in the third period when they staged a comeback. By the time it was over, the game was tied 6-6, and as the story goes, Gordon had scored all 5 goals of the third period. Years later, enough people had asked Gordon about that game, that he went to the archives of the Swift Current Sun to check the line score. The Sun gave him credit for just three of the goals, but there was no mention of who had scored the other two goals. So, I think he did score them as well and the story is true. Good goal scorers are rare; just ask this year’s senior team. I remember Gordon as an avid fan, but there are others who remember the good player.
Gordon got his chance to fly when he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940. He completed 42 missions flying Lancaster bombers, the majority of which were with the Pathfinders. The Pathfinders were crews who had shown exceptional ability, and who guided the rest of the aircraft in a mission to and from their target. For his service, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the highest honor for airmen.
It was during a wartime leave in 1942 that Gordon met Mae Clark of White Bear, and they were married Christmas Eve, 1945. It was during Mae’s pregnancy with Terry in 1947 that Gordon started calling her sweetie-face, an endearment he was still using 52 years later. To Mae’s dismay, however, one day while she was teaching, he called the school and asked to speak to sweetie face. From then until she retired from teaching, Mae was sweetie face to her colleagues.
From 1946 to 1949, Gordon attended the University of Saskatchewan, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. It was also in 1949 that Bonnie was born. For 3 years he farmed part-time while working as a land inspector for the Lands Branch. He saw a lot of the province during this time.
In 1952, he started farming full time, and he continued to farm until this year. From 1954 to 1967, Mae taught at Totnes, near Eston. Gordon stayed at the farm during the growing season, with Mae and the children joining him on weekends. During the winter, Gordon enjoyed doing projects for the school, including building the stages for Christmas pageants, and making a curling rink complete with kid-size curling rocks.
Terry remembers numerous summer vacation trips. Whenever they arrived at a city new to them, the first order of business was to find the local airport and rent a plane and pilot. With Mae staying on the ground holding onto Gordon’s wallet just in case, Gordon, Terry, and Bonnie would get the lay of the land from the air. Of course, I think this is a great idea.
Gordon took great pride in his yard and gardens. He was constantly trimming trees, and looking for better ways to grow his flowers and vegetables.
He was a great reader, especially about history and current affairs. While I never heard him say anything critical of people he knew personally, he wasn’t above speaking his mind about certain politicians and public figures. If you wanted to get him going, just mention Pierre Trudeau, and then stand back. If, during a discussion, he pulled out his 2 volume encyclopedia, it was usually game over, because he seemed to know those two books by heart. If he ever appeared to be in a losing position, his final retort was “I doubt it”. It was said more than once that his epitaph should read “Here lies Gordon Baker; I doubt it!”
I've wondered about the special bond that formed between Gordon and those who worked with him, especially over the later years. People like Herbert Larter and Wayne Bird, truly close neighbours. And Brent Dietrick, and my father, Bill Zazelenchuk, my brother, Todd, and especially, Mel Pederson. What was it in Gordon that attracted these people to him? I think that, being exceptionally good at something, marks you in a special way.
I remember the first time Gordon and I went flying , and he took the controls for what he said was the first time in 40 years. You could tell right away that he was good. He became part of the plane. Every movement was just right. When we flew to air shows in Moose Jaw we would talk to those oh-so cool young Top-Gun pilots, there to show off their 50 million dollar fighters from Canada and the States. Mention that Gordon had flown Lancasters and they’d come alive, asking more questions of him than we had for them. They knew.
Being a Lancaster pilot in WWII was extremely dangerous; on average, 10 to 20% of the aircraft were lost or damaged on every mission. If you were lucky and very, very good, you might complete the 20 missions set at the start of the war as a tour of duty. However, partway through the war, as the losses mounted, a desperate bomber command raised the requirement to 25 missions. Some pilots broke down and cried because they were certain they would never survive 5 more missions. 25 missions. Gordon Baker completed 42 missions and he returned his aircraft and his crew every time. Just the right mix of leadership, confidence, and skill. He truly was one of the best of the best. Maybe you remember a different Gordon; modest and unassuming. They say that heroes don’t look any different from the rest of us. It’s true.
I would like to close by reading a letter that Gordon wrote to his family in October of 1998, but which wasn't read by anyone until his passing...
Letter to My Family | Gordon Baker, October 1998
Dear Family,
Recently I awoke about 6 A.M and for some reason began thinking of some of the lucky breaks I have had in my life. I thought of the 18000 Canadian airmen who did not survive World War II and missed the joys of returning to their family and friends like I did. They never experienced the joys of watching their children and grandchildren grow up like I did. A large number of these airmen had completed a lot less trips than my crew and I had done. Why did we survive to be able to come home? A question no one can answer. The only thing I can say is I am glad we did.
The greatest event that happened to me after the war was when Mae said "I do". She has been my love and joy and a wonderful mother to our children. Bonnie and Terry can vouch for this. They in turn have been wonderful parents to their children. Our grandchildren can vouch for this. Mae and I have had great pleasure in watching our grandchildren excel in sports, schooling and their jobs. I regret that Mae's and my parents could not personally be here to congratulate them. One of my dad's favorite quotes was "Play up, Play up, and Play the Game". I think our children and grandchildren have done this!
Because of our family, Mae and I have been able to visit a lot of places and meet a lot of their friends. One place Mae and I never visited was Yellowknife, NWT, but my dad did, and he told us all about it. My sister Dorothy drove him all the way up there from Kyle and back again in her little car on gravel roads.
Dad said on arriving back "Dorothy is made of good stuff". And I agree. Our brother Alan was also made of good stuff. He endured a lot of ill health and never once did I hear him complain.
Because of Dorothy and Ed, Mae and I have spent a lot of time in Edmonton. We have also spent a lot of time in Tuscon, Arizona visiting Eric and Lois, and visiting Mae's mother and dad's place in the Kootenays of B.C. with Bill and Jane. We even climbed the Kokanee Mountain.
People we also consider family are Mel and Sherry and their children. Mel first came to help us on the farm when he was sixteen years of age. He had lost his mother at a young age. but Norm and Ester had already instilled in him to be trustworthy and dependable, and I can assure everyone they did a good job.
I was so sure of this that I let him drive my brand new 3-ton truck on the side roads in loose gravel. I would not have let too many 16 year olds do that. He never let us down.
Recently, I said to Mel, "I sure would like to come back in 20 or 30 years to see if my predictions of the future come true."
Mel said, "I will pick you up."
Thanks Mel!
Thanks to all my family. I am so proud of you.
Love, Gordon
Low and slow, Gordon...low and slow.
