Others Magazine

Major Bill Baker was peacefully promoted to glory on Saturday 3 July 2021, aged 90, after a lifetime of service to God with The Salvation Army.

Bill was born on 3 November 1930. He married Phyl Armstrong on 6 March 1954 and they were blessed with three children – Ken, Beverley and Mae. Together they entered The Salvation Army Officer Training College in Melbourne from their home corps in Fremantle (WA) in 1962 to join the Servants of Christ session.

Bill and Phyl spent their second year of out-training in charge of the Burnley Corps. Once the out-training period had finished, Bill and Phyl remained the officers of Burnley Corps while continuing to attend their last year of training at the college. They were commissioned in January 1964 and appointed to the Devonport Corps in Tasmania. They were then appointed to Invermay, also in Tasmania, followed by Medina, Mount Hawthorn and Gosnells in Western Australia, Mooroolbark and Ringwood in Victoria then home to Western Australia and the Floreat Park Corps.

Majors Bill and Phyl were then appointed to the Harry Hunter Rehabilitation Centre as the superintendents. Bill successfully improved the rehabilitation program by introducing “work therapy” and importantly commenced the Bridge Program for Western Australia. The title ‘Bridge Program Superintendent’ was added to his responsibilities.

In the following years, Bill was appointed as Coordinator-Correctional Services and Court Welfare Officer in Western Australia, coordinating the efforts of the team of officers across the correctional services and courts. The Bakers’ final appointment was as Divisional Pastoral Care and Counselling Officers until they retired on 1 December 1995.

Our love and prayers along with our heartfelt sympathy cover Major Phyl, Ken, Beverley, Mae, and their families today.

A celebration of Bill Baker’s life will be held on Saturday 17 July 2021 commencing at 10am at Floreat Salvation Army (WA), conducted by Major Lyn Jones.