Neil Baker – Class of 1952

Neil Baker was born on May 7, 1934 at Washoe Medical Center.  He graduated from Sparks High School in 1952; his class was the last class to attend the old Sparks high building, on 15th street, between C and D Street.  He lived at 13 E Street, and went to Robert Mitchell Elementary and Sparks Middle school, so he was never more than two blocks away from his first twelve years of schooling.

            Throughout his high school career, Baker was very involved in extra-curricular activities.  He played the trumpet for the Sparks High Band and played a part in all the theatre productions.  He was the manager of the football and basketball teams during his junior and senior years.  He was known throughout his school years as an avid skier, and he received his pilot’s license at age 18 from the Sparks Airport (where Greenbrae Shopping Center is now located).

            After graduation, Neil attended UNR for two years and studied electrical engineering.  Afterwards he was called on an LDS mission to the West Central Stake Mission in the Montana/North Dakota regions.  Upon returning from his mission, he studied at BYU and graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing.

            He moved to Washington, D.C. shortly after BYU and worked at Andrews Air Force Base in the Air Guard.  He met his future wife, Judith Smith, in D.C. They got married in the LDS temple of St. George Utah.  They had four children – Marni, Shauna, Michael, and Andrew – throughout the 60’s.  Today he owns an insurance office on Bible Street and has been selling insurance for 26 years.  He was the #1 Salesman in 2004 and 2007.

Inducted 2012