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View a eulogy for Clifford Howard Baker, USMA '56, who passed away on August 10, 2009.

Clifford Howard Baker

West Point, 1956

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Chuck Gorlinski on May 25, 2010:

"Paoli, Indiana, Sir!" Kip would answer to the Beast Detail's questions about where he was from. The inevitable follow-on question was "...and just where is that, mister?" Kip's answer: "About 11 miles from French Lick, Sir!" a response that frequently ended in a series of posture adjustments. The truth of the matter is that Kip was born in Paoli, about 11 miles from French Lick and was most proud of that fact. I roomed with Kip the first part of Plebe Year and enjoyed his great sense of humor. As a cadet he was a philosophical thinker, and a fiercely competitive athlete on the intramural athletic fields.

After graduation I once more roomed with Kip, this time in Gene Dewey's garage at San Marcos, TX. We were both trying to learn how to fly an airplane, Army-style. Turned out that neither of us could fly a plane any-style. Kip was reassigned to Wildflecken, Germany, where I saw him once more, and then he disappeared from view for decades. In December 2006 he was "discovered" in North Carolina. I called him and asked what he had been up to since Wildflecken in 1958. A lot! He was married with six children, received an MS Degree from Purdue University, a PhD from North Carolina State, worked as an industrial marketing executive for Texas Instruments, a marketing research executive for General Motors, a marketing analyst for Corning Glass Works, an industrial education instructor with Mailmax and Village Printer, and served as Vice President of Su Casa Mexican Restaurants.

West Point, the US Army, and the commercial world can be justly proud of the contributions and accomplishments of this Paoli, Indiana native son. Godspeed, Roomie. I will miss you.

 
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