Harold ""Gayle"" Baker

Harold Gayle Baker was born on April 20, 1928 at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital. His father died of cancer in 1933, leaving his mother to raise Gayle, his two older brothers, and younger sister during the heart of the Depression. Gayle loved growing up in a ""one-horse town"" like Aurora was in those days. He was a good student and athlete at Aurora's only high school, William Smith High School. He ran track and played basketball and football. Directly out of high school, Gayle joined the Army, enlisting just two days after graduating and turning down a full-ride scholarship to D.U. He was part of the occupied forces in Italy and was stationed near Pisa on a base that had previously been the city's zoo. Thanks to the G.I. Bill, Gayle was finally able to pursue his college education after he was discharged. He enrolled at D.U. and began his studies in secondary education. He graduated from D.U. in August of 1952 and was immediately hired by the Aurora Public Schools to teach social studies at West Middle School. He completed his Masters Degree at Western State during the summers while continuing to teach during the school year. He was excited to help open Aurora's newest school, South Middle School in 1961. Here he team-taught with a first-year teacher named Sue Smith. On June 29, 1963, the two were married. His passion for teaching social studies, his uncanny ability to remember names and faces, and his knack for telling really corny jokes endeared him to students for 30 years. In December of 1966, Sue and Gayle welcomed their first daughter, Amy, into the world. Six weeks after moving into their home on Zion Street, Heidi was born in January of 1969. Gayle stayed busy as a husband, father, flea market connoisseur, garage sale master, puzzler, gardener, stamp and coin collector, and pun master. In 2002, Gayle and Sue sold their long-time home on Zion Street and joined many former neighbors and new friends at Heritage Eagle Bend. Sue and Gayle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June with family and friends. Most recently, the whole family was together again to celebrate a blessed and cherished Thanksgiving. Gayle leaves behind his wife of 50 years, Sue; his daughters, Amy Halsey and Heidi Ammons; son-in-law Henry Ammons; and grandchildren, Travis Halsey, Emma and Hope Ammons. Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 2:00 pm at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 5303 East County Line Road (One block west of Holly Street) in Centennial. He will be interred at Fort Logan National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in Gayle's honor to Denver Rescue Mission, 3501 E. 46th Ave, Denver, CO 80216 or www.denverrescuemission.org. Please share your memories of Gayle and condolences with his family by signing the guestbook.