Hiram J. Baker

Hiram J. Baker, 88, of Versailles passed away Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at the Manderley Health Care Center in Osgood. He was born at Manchester, Kentucky on November 5, 1921 the son of Kenus and Sarah Allen Baker. He was married to Naomi Thomas on November 8, 1952 and she survives. Other survivors include one son Ken (Kim) Baker of Aurora; two grandchildren Phillip Baker of Connersville and Emily (Corey) McDerment of Madison; two great-grandchildren; one sister Edith McIntosh of Hamilton, Ohio; two brothers Clayton Baker of Bloomington and Ed Baker of Cincinnati. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother David, and his sisters Sudie Reed, Rhoda Davis, and Thelma Dunn. Mr. Baker was an Army veteran of WWII where he was stationed with the 497 Medical Collecting Company. He served at Normandy, Northern France, the Ardennes, and in Central Europe. He was honorably discharged from the Army on December 2, 1945 and received the European Theatre Ribbon with five bronze stars, the American Theatre Ribbon, the Good Conduct Ribbon, and the WWII Victory Medal. He was a former employee of the Ripley County Farm Bureau, an agent for Prairie Farmer Insurance, and was a sales rep for Booher Sales Associates. Mr. Baker was a member of the Versailles Baptist Church, the Osgood Masonic Lodge, and the Versailles American Legion. Funeral services will be Friday at 11am at the Versailles Baptist Church with Rev. Mike Cantrel officiating. Burial will be in the Cliff Hill Cemetery in Versailles with military graveside rites by the Versailles American Legion. Visitation will be Thursday from 5pm to 8pm at the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles and from 10am until time of services Friday at the church. The Osgood Masonic Lodge will conduct services at 7:30pm Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Versailles Baptist Church building fund in care of the funeral home.