Brian C. Baker

Brian C. Baker, “Bake”, 59, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at Weeks Memorial Hospital in Lancaster NH, on March 3, 2023, after fighting a lengthy 6-year battle with Gastrointestinal Stomal Tumor (GIST) Cancer.

Bake was born on December 20, 1963, to Wally and Prudy (Gray) Baker in Springfield Massachusetts where the family lived while Wally worked as a lineman for Western Union.

Growing up, Bake attended Lancaster Elementary School and White Mountain Regional High School. He loved sports and was on the wrestling, soccer and basketball teams. Bake’s favorite high school sport was basketball and played the game whenever he could, often trying to dunk the ball like Darryl Dawkins but claims he was just “a quarter of in inch too short”. Brian also played in a local adult softball League for several seasons.

Bake left high school and joined the logging industry. He recalls starting his logging career before it mechanized and not a job for just any man. It consisted of long hours, hard work, harsh weather conditions and unpredictable terrain. Over the years, Brian was employed by several local logging companies and remained good friends with those with whom he worked up until his final days. Brian retired from working in the woods in 2021 when his illness began to progress and impact his ability to “take a thrashing” in the skidder.

First and foremost, Brian was an avid fisherman. Brian could be found either in his boat or on the ice depending on the time of year. Brian enjoyed fly fishing and was always in search of a record size trout regardless of what body of water he was on. Many of his most cherished moments of his life were spent on the water with his brother, Gary Baker, and his brothers by choice, Jeff Bishop and Steve “Guido” Gonyer.

Brian leaves behind his wife of 22 years, Kristine McDade Baker (Maidstone Vt), Kristine’s children, Nicholas Potter (Colebrook) and Kylie Potter (Littleton), his mother Prudy Baker (Lancaster), brother Gary Baker and wife Robyn (Lancaster), nephew Isaac Colby (Burlington Vt) and niece Caitlyn Fulton (Dover NH), sister Becky Baker Bates and husband Bobby (Newport NH), nephew Ben Bates (Boston), niece Eliza Bates (Manchester NH), aunt Hilda (Jane) Baker, a daughter Abigail Whitcomb (Carroll, NH), and of special mention is Miss Averi (Fred) Potter (Maidstone Vt), whom Brian often referred to as “my kid”.

Averi is Kristine’s biological granddaughter whom Brian and Kristine took into their home after the tent accident at the Lancaster Fair Grounds in 2015. Averi’s mother (Kristine’s daughter) was significantly injured in the accident and could not physically care for Averi. “Fred” and Brian developed an extremely close bond, and she quickly went from calling him Papa to Daddy. Brian spent a great deal of time with Fred, teaching her how to play softball and soccer, drive the tractor, four-wheeler and snow machines, fish from the boat and jigging for perch, how to snow blow, clean fish, mow the lawn, and take care of the animals at the family compound, including plucking feathers from harvesting chickens. Bake even credited Averi for his ability to fight his illness for as long as he did…she was his reason.

Brian was predeceased by his father, Wally Baker, his Uncle Merlyn Baker, and his son, Nicholas Whitcomb.

There will be a Celebration of Life will be held Saturday May 27, on the Guildhall Common, Guildhall, VT, starting at 12:00 PM.