Arthur Radford ''Rad'' Baker

Arthur Radford "Rad" Baker, age 78, of Bel Air, MD passed away unexpectedly from complications from Alzheimer's Disease on February 2, 2016 at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air. Born in Washington, DC, and raised in Edgewood, Maryland, he was the son of the late Arthur Baker and Elma Juanita (Perry) Baker.

Mr. Baker graduated from Bel Air High School and held an Associates Degree in Radio, Speech, and Dramatics. He was a 40 year employee of the Department of Defense, where he was a contracting officer specializing in the procurement of defense weapons systems at Edgewood Arsenal/APG. His distinguished career supported U.S. troops spanning conflicts from the Viet Nam War to Operation Desert Storm. He retired from the U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command in 2000 and had received some of the highest honors awarded to civilians by the U.S. Army.

In the 1960's and 70's, he was a well-known radio announcer and disc jockey at radio station WASA in Havre de Grace. As a local broadcaster, he reported on everything from the Kennedy Assassination to local news events that impacted northeastern Maryland and northern Delaware. He played music on the station's AM and FM frequencies, when FM radio programming was still in its infancy.

He also had a successful career as a real estate salesman and broker. He loved animals and was known as a family man who was especially proud that of all his children earned college degrees.

Mr. Baker, known as "Rad" is survived by his wife of 55 years, Penelope Remel (Trifillis) Baker; sons, Arthur Radford Baker Jr. of Ellicott City and Randolph Craig Baker of Bel Air; and daughters, Melody Remel Baker of Hereford and Michele Rene Baker of Bel Air.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Alzheimer's Association of Central Maryland, 1850 York Road, Suite D, Timonium, MD 21093 Rad Baker Memorial or to the Stevenson Village Veterinary Hospital, Rescue Account #205 Baker Memorial, 46 E. Sudbrook Lane, Baltimore, MD 21208, or any charity benefiting Alzheimer's Research.