Bruce Frederick Baker

Bruce Frederick Baker, age 83, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, September 26, 2025, at the Gardens at Aldersgate in Topeka. Bruce was born October 21, 1941, to Wallace and Mildred Baker.

A memorial service is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 4, 2025, at Heritage Baptist Church, 1781 E. 800th Road, Lawrence, KS 66049.

His family moved to Topeka when he was a small child. He moved often during his childhood, living in multiple towns in Kansas. He thoroughly enjoyed Boy Scouts, and did quite well as a club scout. In high school, he enjoyed sports more than his studies, and earned a letter in football his first year. He also especially enjoyed science and mathematics. He graduated from high school in Topeka. After high school he studied at Bible school for two years. It was not long after he returned home from Bible school, that he left his parents’ home with a small savings, typewriter, and a small valise and headed to Los Angeles. For the next two years he worked at a rescue mission.

On April 2, 1962, he was inducted into the Army and began basic training, and then specialized training as a medical corpsman. The latter half of his Army service was spent as an orderly for a three-star general in Washington, DC.

After leaving the Army, he went back to California and trained to be a welder, eventually landing a job in a shipyard in Los Angeles. Ten years from the time that he left his parents’ home, he was reunited with them and began application to become a teacher. He enjoyed working with children, especially teaching them of Jesus. In his own words, “telling Bible stories to them, which to me was so satisfying.”

Bruce married, Betty Hovestreydt on September 4, 1981, and they made their home in Springfield, Missouri. While there, they were involved with High Street Baptist Church, and she taught in the Baptist Bible College. She proceeded him in death in 1988. He often spoke fondly of her and the love they shared.

After his wife’s passing, Bruce moved back to the Topeka area, while still spending time in Springfield from time to time. He loved sharing God’s Word and love to children and people from all walks of life. He loved using the Wordless Book to explain the gospel, and passing out coins with scripture verses inscribed on them.

Bruce was a longtime member of Heritage Baptist Church in Lawrence, Kansas, often riding the bus to church on Sunday mornings with the children. He loved attending the services, worshiping the Lord, and fellowshipping with other Christians.

His favorite Bible verse was John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”