Forrest Leroy Baker Jr.

Featured in: May 2015

BAKER — Forrest Leroy, 82; born Aug. 28, 1932, Pendleton, Ore.; died Feb. 10, 2015, Pendleton. Surviving: wife, Patricia Lee (Mangan); son, Forest R. and his wife Krisi Wellington-Baker, Walla Walla, Wash.; daughters, Katherine L. Baker-Blair and her husband Robert Blair, Pendleton; Machelle M. and her husband Denis Colligan, Walla Walla; Diana L. and her husband Sterling Hall, Hermiston, Ore.; 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Forrest was born Aug. 28, 1932, to Forrest and Emma (Shafer) Baker in Pendleton, Ore. He delivered newspapers for the East Oregonian for many years while growing up. He lived in Pendleton his whole life except for his tour in the U.S. Air Force where he was stationed in Germany. And while studying engineering for three and a half years at Oregon State University. He married Patricia Lee Mangan on Sept. 8, 1990, in Pendleton.

He was the produce manager at Safeway for many years before changing careers, going to work at Harris Building Supply. He worked as the manager at Harris Building Supply for 30 years, and at Tum-A-Lum Lumber for 14 years.

He was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he dedicated his time as church custodian for 45 years. Forrest enjoyed gardening in his spare time and always grew a huge garden.