Ruth was born in Montrose, Colorado and was our (Calvin and Susan) first child. I was so excited to have her born just before Christmas. We brought her home the night before Christmas Eve and it was a magical wonderful Christmas. Cal and I were living in Norwood, Colorado at the time and it had been a 60 mile drive to the hospital. Cal worked for the U.S. Forest Service. He was transferred to Chadron, Nebraska when Ruth was 6 months old. In Chadron, Ruth became a big sister to Carolyn and Daniel. We lived in Chadron for a little over five years when Cal was transferred to Meeker, Colorado. Ruth loved Chadron and had some friends there that she was very sad to leave. A little less than a year later, Cal was transferred to Silver Lake, Oregon, and we moved again.
Ruth started school when she was 4 1/2 years old. She knew her alphabet when she was two and was reading fifth grade level at the age of 7. Silver Lake was a very small (150 people) town. Ruth and Carolyn would go down to the school bus stop together to wait for the bus. They were in the Christmas program at school, December 1975, Ruth's last Christmas. Ruth would carry Daniel from the playground piggy-back, when he walked there barefoot and would try to watch out for him. She was trying to teach her youngest sister, Janet, who was born in Bend while we lived in Silver Lake, how to walk. Ruth also loved to play with Janet as shown in the picture Janet added showing Ruth with Janet as a baby.
One of Ruth's favorite book series was the Nancy Drew Series. She was learning to play the piano before she became ill and though not a virtuoso, was learning quite fast. She was a special member of our family and though we had a total of nine children by 1987, (Samuel, Michael, Ted, Scott and Grant joined us after she died) she was always sorely missed. I don't think anyone can lose a child and not have that be extremely difficult to live with from then on.
She died unexpectedly from a complication of Chickenpox called Reye's Syndrome. It was totally heart breaking for our whole family, but especially for me. She died in Portland, Oregon on January 14, 1976, and was buried in Pilot Butte Cemetery, Bend, Oregon on January 17, 1976. She was 9 years 25 days old when she died. She left behind her parents, Calvin Orley and Susan Ricks Baker and her siblings at the time, Carolyn, 6; Daniel, 4; and Janet, 1. Her grandparents were Marc Ricks (BD Sept. 9, 1910, Rexburg, ID; MD Oct. 30,1936, Salt Lake City, UT; DD Jan. 2, 2011, Provo, UT) and Jennie (Jane) Merrell Jones Ricks, (BD May 9, 1916, Millcreek, UT; DD Dec. 3, 2005, Fruita, CO) and George Everett Baker (BD Oct. 9,1918, Santa Maria, CA; MD Aug 7, 1938, Hollister, CA; DD Jan. 30, 1965, Moss Landing,CA) and Evelyn Jessie Margaret Mundion Baker Brandt McKim (BD May 28,1919, Milwaukee, OR; DD Sept. 12, 2005, Poway, CA.)
Ruth started school when she was 4 1/2 years old. She knew her alphabet when she was two and was reading fifth grade level at the age of 7. Silver Lake was a very small (150 people) town. Ruth and Carolyn would go down to the school bus stop together to wait for the bus. They were in the Christmas program at school, December 1975, Ruth's last Christmas. Ruth would carry Daniel from the playground piggy-back, when he walked there barefoot and would try to watch out for him. She was trying to teach her youngest sister, Janet, who was born in Bend while we lived in Silver Lake, how to walk. Ruth also loved to play with Janet as shown in the picture Janet added showing Ruth with Janet as a baby.
One of Ruth's favorite book series was the Nancy Drew Series. She was learning to play the piano before she became ill and though not a virtuoso, was learning quite fast. She was a special member of our family and though we had a total of nine children by 1987, (Samuel, Michael, Ted, Scott and Grant joined us after she died) she was always sorely missed. I don't think anyone can lose a child and not have that be extremely difficult to live with from then on.
She died unexpectedly from a complication of Chickenpox called Reye's Syndrome. It was totally heart breaking for our whole family, but especially for me. She died in Portland, Oregon on January 14, 1976, and was buried in Pilot Butte Cemetery, Bend, Oregon on January 17, 1976. She was 9 years 25 days old when she died. She left behind her parents, Calvin Orley and Susan Ricks Baker and her siblings at the time, Carolyn, 6; Daniel, 4; and Janet, 1. Her grandparents were Marc Ricks (BD Sept. 9, 1910, Rexburg, ID; MD Oct. 30,1936, Salt Lake City, UT; DD Jan. 2, 2011, Provo, UT) and Jennie (Jane) Merrell Jones Ricks, (BD May 9, 1916, Millcreek, UT; DD Dec. 3, 2005, Fruita, CO) and George Everett Baker (BD Oct. 9,1918, Santa Maria, CA; MD Aug 7, 1938, Hollister, CA; DD Jan. 30, 1965, Moss Landing,CA) and Evelyn Jessie Margaret Mundion Baker Brandt McKim (BD May 28,1919, Milwaukee, OR; DD Sept. 12, 2005, Poway, CA.)
Ruth was born in Montrose, Colorado and was our (Calvin and Susan) first child. I was so excited to have her born just before Christmas. We brought her home the night before Christmas Eve and it was a magical wonderful Christmas. Cal and I were living in Norwood, Colorado at the time and it had been a 60 mile drive to the hospital. Cal worked for the U.S. Forest Service. He was transferred to Chadron, Nebraska when Ruth was 6 months old. In Chadron, Ruth became a big sister to Carolyn and Daniel. We lived in Chadron for a little over five years when Cal was transferred to Meeker, Colorado. Ruth loved Chadron and had some friends there that she was very sad to leave. A little less than a year later, Cal was transferred to Silver Lake, Oregon, and we moved again.
Ruth started school when she was 4 1/2 years old. She knew her alphabet when she was two and was reading fifth grade level at the age of 7. Silver Lake was a very small (150 people) town. Ruth and Carolyn would go down to the school bus stop together to wait for the bus. They were in the Christmas program at school, December 1975, Ruth's last Christmas. Ruth would carry Daniel from the playground piggy-back, when he walked there barefoot and would try to watch out for him. She was trying to teach her youngest sister, Janet, who was born in Bend while we lived in Silver Lake, how to walk. Ruth also loved to play with Janet as shown in the picture Janet added showing Ruth with Janet as a baby.
One of Ruth's favorite book series was the Nancy Drew Series. She was learning to play the piano before she became ill and though not a virtuoso, was learning quite fast. She was a special member of our family and though we had a total of nine children by 1987, (Samuel, Michael, Ted, Scott and Grant joined us after she died) she was always sorely missed. I don't think anyone can lose a child and not have that be extremely difficult to live with from then on.
She died unexpectedly from a complication of Chickenpox called Reye's Syndrome. It was totally heart breaking for our whole family, but especially for me. She died in Portland, Oregon on January 14, 1976, and was buried in Pilot Butte Cemetery, Bend, Oregon on January 17, 1976. She was 9 years 25 days old when she died. She left behind her parents, Calvin Orley and Susan Ricks Baker and her siblings at the time, Carolyn, 6; Daniel, 4; and Janet, 1. Her grandparents were Marc Ricks (BD Sept. 9, 1910, Rexburg, ID; MD Oct. 30,1936, Salt Lake City, UT; DD Jan. 2, 2011, Provo, UT) and Jennie (Jane) Merrell Jones Ricks, (BD May 9, 1916, Millcreek, UT; DD Dec. 3, 2005, Fruita, CO) and George Everett Baker (BD Oct. 9,1918, Santa Maria, CA; MD Aug 7, 1938, Hollister, CA; DD Jan. 30, 1965, Moss Landing,CA) and Evelyn Jessie Margaret Mundion Baker Brandt McKim (BD May 28,1919, Milwaukee, OR; DD Sept. 12, 2005, Poway, CA.)
Ruth started school when she was 4 1/2 years old. She knew her alphabet when she was two and was reading fifth grade level at the age of 7. Silver Lake was a very small (150 people) town. Ruth and Carolyn would go down to the school bus stop together to wait for the bus. They were in the Christmas program at school, December 1975, Ruth's last Christmas. Ruth would carry Daniel from the playground piggy-back, when he walked there barefoot and would try to watch out for him. She was trying to teach her youngest sister, Janet, who was born in Bend while we lived in Silver Lake, how to walk. Ruth also loved to play with Janet as shown in the picture Janet added showing Ruth with Janet as a baby.
One of Ruth's favorite book series was the Nancy Drew Series. She was learning to play the piano before she became ill and though not a virtuoso, was learning quite fast. She was a special member of our family and though we had a total of nine children by 1987, (Samuel, Michael, Ted, Scott and Grant joined us after she died) she was always sorely missed. I don't think anyone can lose a child and not have that be extremely difficult to live with from then on.
She died unexpectedly from a complication of Chickenpox called Reye's Syndrome. It was totally heart breaking for our whole family, but especially for me. She died in Portland, Oregon on January 14, 1976, and was buried in Pilot Butte Cemetery, Bend, Oregon on January 17, 1976. She was 9 years 25 days old when she died. She left behind her parents, Calvin Orley and Susan Ricks Baker and her siblings at the time, Carolyn, 6; Daniel, 4; and Janet, 1. Her grandparents were Marc Ricks (BD Sept. 9, 1910, Rexburg, ID; MD Oct. 30,1936, Salt Lake City, UT; DD Jan. 2, 2011, Provo, UT) and Jennie (Jane) Merrell Jones Ricks, (BD May 9, 1916, Millcreek, UT; DD Dec. 3, 2005, Fruita, CO) and George Everett Baker (BD Oct. 9,1918, Santa Maria, CA; MD Aug 7, 1938, Hollister, CA; DD Jan. 30, 1965, Moss Landing,CA) and Evelyn Jessie Margaret Mundion Baker Brandt McKim (BD May 28,1919, Milwaukee, OR; DD Sept. 12, 2005, Poway, CA.)
Inscription
Our Special Little Ruthie
Ruth Evelyn Baker
Dec. 20, 1966-Jan. 14, 1976
Gravesite Details
Age at Death: 9 years. Data obtained from the Bend Genealogical Society.
