Lyle Willis Baker

Age 90 of St. Paul "The Fuller Brush Man" Passed away Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at the Lyngblomsten Care Center, following a brief illness. "Never spend eight hours a day doing something you hate." - Lyle Baker Lyle Willis Baker grew up on a farm near Mankato, Minnesota, the fourth in a family of nine children, and attended a one-room country school that his father served as a member of the school board. Lyle moved to the Twin Cities when he graduated from high school in 1940, and sold Fuller Brush door to door until he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1943. During World War II, he graduated from the National Radio School, then served as a ground-crew gun camera technician in one of the 371st Fighter Group's P-47 Thunderbolt squadrons. The 371st FG attacked ground targets in support of the invasion of Normandy, the breakout at St. Lo, the drive across northern France, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Allied forces' crossing of the Rhine. Lyle's squadron moved from an air base in southwest England to a temporary airfield in Normandy shortly after D-Day, and moved east with the advancing Allied armies through the rest of the war. Lyle returned to Minnesota when the war ended, and soon resumed selling Fuller Brush in the Twin Cities. He met Eunice Hegg while roller skating at the Coliseum in St. Paul. He courted her at Mrs. Strandy's Bakery on the corner of St. Anthony and Prior in St. Paul, and they were married in January 1949. He then took advantage of the GI Bill, graduating with a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Minnesota in three years. After graduation, he sold meats in Wisconsin for Swift & Company: initially in Ashland, then in a broad sales territory that he serviced by automobile from his home in Barron, near Rice Lake. Eunice earned her teaching certificate while they lived in Wisconsin, and taught in a one-room country school. All three of their children were born in Wisconsin. After a decade with Swift, Lyle brought his young family back to St. Paul in the 1960s. He examined a number of business and franchise opportunities, but decided to return to Fuller Brush because it gave him the best opportunity to be himself and do what he loved most: completely independent selling. They made their home in St. Paul's Macalester/Groveland neighborhood. He made the "tuxedo look" an essential part of his selling style, and constantly honed his skills. With his twinkling blue eyes, a smile as wide as the sky, bright bow ties and black cummerbund, and a beret or stocking cap, he was recognized instantly as he walked into the locally owned businesses who were the mainstay of his trade. He knew his products and he knew his customers, and everyone knew him. He stayed with Fuller Brush for the next four and a half decades, always in the direct-selling role he loved so much. He reluctantly retired in 2007 at the age of 85, because "his feet just wore out." He continued to be active right up through his 90th birthday on January 6th, volunteering regularly at his church, at Sons of Norway Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge #1-008, and at Lyngblomsten Care Center. He enjoyed Twins baseball games, concerts, community festivals, the Science Museum of Minnesota, and The Schubert Club. He often ushered at local theatres, and spent several days each year at the State Fair. He played 500 and cribbage every week at Highland Leisure Age, and he enjoyed reading newspapers from around the world in the Macalester College library. He rarely missed his morning cup of coffee, either at Lunds in Highland Village or at the St. Paul Corner Drug on Snelling Avenue. He was a life member of VFW Post 6210. Lyle was a much loved brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, neighbor, and fellow church member. He was something of an icon in St. Paul, and will be fondly remembered by many for his unique fashion style, for enthusiastically playing his harmonica and the piano, for riding his bicycle around town, and for just being a friendly and outgoing man. Survived by wife of 63 years Eunice (nee Hegg); children Luci J. Baker Johnson (Doug), William R. Baker (Rayna) and Robert T. Baker (Lori); grandchildren Jim Mignano, Jeremiah Baker, Kaleigh Baker, Katie Carlson (Karsten), Roy Johnson, Cameron Johnson, Lauren Johnson (Jenai) and Amy Anderson (Joe); 5 great grandchildren; siblings Harold Baker, Maury Baker (Vera), Shirley Ensrud (Burdette), Glen Baker (LaDonna) and Wayne Baker (Diane); brother-in-law Newell Herum (Rose); 16 nieces, 16 nephews, and many other relatives, friends and customers. Preceded in death by parents H. Bixler and Leona (nee Buzick) Baker; siblings Merle Baker (Junice), Lorene Erdmann (Donald) and Inez Herum (Newell) and two nieces. Visitation Monday (March 5) from 4-8 PM in the HOLCOMB-HENRY-BOOM-PURCELL FUNERAL HOME 536 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Funeral Tuesday (March 6) at 1:30 PM (with visitation beginning at 12:30 PM) at IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH 104 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Visitors are invited to 'wear a bow tie' in his honor. Memorials preferred to Immanuel Lutheran Church or Lyngblomsten Care Center.

Tributes

Lyle Willis Baker

January 6, 1922 - February 29, 2012

Tributes

Lyle Willis Baker

January 6, 1922 - February 29, 2012

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