Richard D. "Dick" Baker

Richard D. "Dick" Baker, BA '50, of Plano, Texas, passed away Sept. 5. He was 84. Baker's years at Baylor were interrupted by his voluntary service in the Navy during World War II. At Baylor, Baker was part of the Youth Revival Movement as a music leader and soloist. He began the Baylor Religious Hour Choir that was an integral part of a campus midweek service and a touring gospel choir that is still active today after 62 years. Baker and Frank Boggs co-wrote the Baylor Fight Song. Baker and his brother Bo, known as the Baker Brothers, traveled around the U.S. and the world for two decades as evangelists. He also served as vice president of Crescendo Music Publications and music coordinator for World Evangelism, then as Prestonwood Baptist Church's minister of music from 1980-92 before returning to evangelism until 2007. Baker began composing songs in 1947 and continued writing until this year, publishing more than 300 gospel songs. Many of them were written with his brother, Bo. Among Baker's many honors was the George W. Truett Award from Baylor. Memorials may be made to the endowment fund at Baylor for the Baylor Religious Hour Choir.