Francis “Frank” T. Baker

WATERVILLE – Francis “Frank” T. Baker of Waterville, passed away the evening of Dec. 19, 2024, at Maine General Medical Center – Augusta at the age of 85. Frank was a resident at the Woodlands Senior Living facility in Waterville navigating life as best he could with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Frank was born in Brooks, June 25, 1939, the youngest of three children to Chesterfield and Barbara (Stevens) Baker. He grew up in Brooks under the loving care of his grandmother Nina (Mason) Stevens until graduating in 1957 from Crosby High School in Belfast. Shortly after graduation, Frank moved to Boston, where he worked at Boston Deaconess Hospital and entered an on-the-job training program to become a Respiratory Therapist. To Frank’s great fortune, Deaconess Hospital was also where he met his wife and “better half” Roberta (Gibson) Baker (affectionately known as Bobbie), who unfortunately predeceased him on Oct. 1, 2021, following a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Her calming and loving presence has been greatly missed. Frank enjoyed a long and rewarding career as a Respiratory Therapist and department manager at Thayer Hospital (Maine General Medical Center) and in the mid-1980s transitioned to private home health care with Glassrock Healthcare where he relished traveling the Maine countryside and caring for and befriending many of his patients. Frank was a long-standing and actively involved member of the American Association for Respiratory Care. One of his greatest joys was contributing to the development of the respiratory therapy degree program at Kennebec Valley Community College, as well as sitting on its board. Frank was a member of Kiwanis and he remembered fondly many cold, snowy evenings selling Christmas trees for charity. For several years he was a lector at Corpus Christi Parish, a 4th Degree Member of Assembly No. 341 of the Knights of Columbus, and a member of the Cursillo Movement. In his leisure time, Frank took pleasure in watching all manner of sports, trying his patience on the golf course, reading, photography, or bending the ear of whomever might listen to one of his many tales. Moreover, Frank appreciated traveling with Bobbie to the coast of Maine every fall to enjoy their timeshare in Southwest Harbor.

Frank is survived by two sons, Greg Ronitz-Baker and wife Wendy; Tom and wife Meg (Nivison), their two children, Colby Baker and partner Matthew McGinnis, Hillary (Baker) Van Clief and husband Daniel and their son Theodore (Theo). He is also survived by a special nephew and niece, Eddie Baker and Barbi (Baker) Swafford and husband David, their daughter Stephanie Hamoodi and husband Aqeel, and several other nieces and nephews. Frank was predeceased by his wife Bobbie of almost 60 years, parents, brother Edward “Teddy” Baker, Sr. and sister-in-law Sandra (Moody) Baker and sister Nancy (Baker) Wormlight. The family sends a special thank you to Maribeth Beland of Albion and Peg Soucy of Waterville for their unwavering support of and advocacy for Frank during very challenging circumstances over the last three years. The family also expresses its thanks to the staff at the Woodlands and to the doctors, nurses and staff on 2-West at Maine General Hospital for their comforting and compassionate care. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Notre Dame Catholic Church, 116 Silver Street, Waterville on Thursday, January 16, at 10 a.m. A private family burial will follow at the Winslow Cemetery in Marshfield, Mass. Arrangements are under the direction and care of Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm Street, Waterville. An online guestbook may be signed, condolences and memories shared at http://www.gallantfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Frank’s name to a dementia organization of your choice.