Larry J. Baker
POCAHONTAS, AR Mar. 17— Larry Baker of West Palm Beach, Florida passed away on November 28, 2020, but not before ensuring the needs of Black River Technical College students are met.
The Larry J. Baker Family Trust gifted $10,000 to the Leondus and Gladys Baker Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Leondus and Gladys Baker Scholarship was created by the Larry Baker family in memory of Larry Baker’s parents, Leondus and Gladys Brown Baker. The scholarship is awarded to Black River Technical College students with priority to those who live in the Dalton and Randolph County area first. Students must have a minimum 2.75 GPA.
Baker graduated from Blytheville High School in 1957, earned his BS from Arkansas State College (later ASU in Jonesboro) in 1961 then graduated with an MBA from the University of Arkansas in 1962. Soon after graduation, Baker reported to serve in the United States Army. His infantry training was at Fort Polk, LA, and was later stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. Following his honorable discharge in 1965, he went to work for a public accounting firm in Little Rock. In 1966, he accepted an offer as assistant controller of Kassuba Real Estate Development in Palm Beach. In 1982, he joined Community Savings in North Palm Beach and served as CFO/Treasurer for the next 20 years. Baker and his partner Deb Rousseau Baker resided in Florida until his passing.
Cindy Robinett, BRTC Adult Education Instructor and relative of Baker said, Baker “treasured his Dalton, Randolph County, Arkansas ancestry. He believed greatly in the power of education and wanted to help local students who attend BRTC by establishing this scholarship in memory of his parents–both descendants of Reuben Rice, builder of the Rice-Upshaw House.”
For more information about creating or supporting a scholarship, contact Karen Liebhaber at (870) 248-4185 or email her at KarenL@blackrivertech.edu.