Charles Verl Baker

Charles Verl Baker (87) was born at Southside District Hospital in Mesa, Arizona on January 2, 1939. He was the second baby born in the city of Mesa and the first boy. He was known as “Charlie” to his parents, siblings, and close family, but was also “Chuck” to many others. Charles was the fifth of seven children of Alfred Henry Baker Sr. and Elna Farnsworth, with siblings Elna Ray, Alfred Henry, Jr., William Elmer, Bertha Lousie, Franklin Kelly, and David Wayne.

Charles grew up in Mesa, where he attended several different Mesa Public Schools, including Mesa Junior High (as one of the first students to attend there), and Mesa High, graduating in 1957. He was president of his junior class at Mesa High as well as a member of the state championship football team in the Fall of 1956. He was on the baseball team in the Spring of 1957, winning the state championship; him and his baseball team were inducted into Mesa City Sports Hall of Fame. He also attended Arizona State University and Mesa Community College.

He met the love of his life, Virginia Hastings, in fourth grade while attending Irving School. They were married and later sealed for time all eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Their marriage lasted more than 65 years. Together, Charlie and Virginia raised six children: Laurie, Shelley, Susan, Chuck, Matthew, and Scott.

Charlie worked for the Arizona State Department of Transportation Highway Division as a land surveyor. He also fulfilled his role as party chief for his crew. He traveled and worked all over the state of Arizona. The number of highway projects across Arizona that benefitted from his expertise is hard to count. Next time you drive the Superstition Freeway, I-10 towards Tucson, I-17, or the Beeline Highway, try to picture our dad giving instructions to the engineers on where to place the roads. He worked for the highway division for over 40 years.

His faith was an important part of his life. A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served in several Church callings as a Bishopric counselor, High Priest Group Leader, Elders Quorum Leader, Seventy, and as a Boy Scout leader. He also served as a Stake Missionary in the Mesa and Mesa South Stakes.

Charlie and Virginia loved to travel. Many notable locations included Krakow, Poland, England, New Zealand, Canada, and Mexico. They also enjoyed visiting many places in the United States.

Our dad had a love of participating in and watching sports that he passed down to his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed watching his sons, grandsons, granddaughters, and great grandchildren participate in a variety of sports. He had a knack for making everyone around him feel like they were his lifelong friends. Dad was always willing to help others when he could.

Charlie is survived by his six children, Laurie Patterson (Gary), Shelley Mills (Steven), Susan, Charles Verl II (Jennifer), Matthew (Rebecca), Scott (Seini), and close family friends Ray Angilau (DeAnne), and Mone Angilau (Elaine) as well as his brothers Alfred and David. He was preceded in death by his wife Virginia; parents; sisters Elna Ray, and Bertha Louise; brothers, William “Bill”, and Franklin Kelly; and his daughter in law Heidi. He was a grandfather to thirteen (a Baker’s Dozen) grandchildren, five bonus grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, 8 bonus great grandchildren, and 4 bonus great, great grandchildren.

Arrangements by Bunker’s Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.