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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Roland
4Charles Baker; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Roland Baker was born in Chicago and attended St.
6Anselm School until the age of 13, when his family relocated to
7Los Angeles, California; he earned his Masters of Business
8Administration degree from the University of Southern
9California; he also served in the United States Marine Corps
10Reserve; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Roland Baker had a long and distinguished career
12in the life insurance and related financial services industries
13and served on many board positions; he began his career at
14Beneficial Standard Life Insurance Company in Los Angeles
15before serving at Colonial Penn Group as executive vice
16president and director of Colonial Penn Insurance, Colonial
17Penn Franklin Insurance, and Colonial Penn Life Insurance
18Companies; he served as chairman, president, and CEO of the
19Signature Group in Schaumburg and was chairman and CEO of Old
20American Insurance Company, a life and health insurer; he was
21the founder and CEO of Baker, Rakich, Shipley, & Politzer,
22consultants to the financial services industry; prior to his
23retirement, he served as CEO of First Penn Pacific Life

 

 

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1Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Lincoln Financial Group, in
2Oakbrook Terrace and Schaumburg; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Roland Baker proudly
4maintained his California certified public accountant license;
5he was a Chartered Life Underwriter and a Fellow of the Life
6Insurance Management Institute; he approached his business
7career with passion and purpose and developed many close and
8loyal friendships through his work; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Roland Baker was a member of the board of the
10Court Theater at the University of Chicago; throughout the
11years, he provided significant support and guidance as a board
12member of numerous other organizations, including the
13Challenger Boys & Girls Club (Los Angeles), of which he was a
14founder, the United Way of Chicago, Chicago Youth Centers, and
15the Evans Scholarship Foundation; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Roland Baker was enormously proud of his family
17and enjoyed family gatherings and celebrations; he was a
18longtime member of Beverly Country Club in Chicago, where he
19spent many happy days on the golf course with his good friends;
20in retirement, he made many good friends in Spanish classes at
21the Instituto Cervantes and in the Hyde Park neighborhood; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Roland Baker enjoyed blues and classic jazz music,

 

 

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1the occasional good cigar and glass of Scotch whiskey, and
2holiday gatherings with his family and neighbors; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Roland Baker is survived by his wife, Helen Norris
4Baker; his children, Scott Carrington Baker, Stephen
5Christopher Baker, and Stefanie Celeste Baker Rome (Kevin); his
6stepson, Dustin J. Burke (Rebecca); his stepdaughter, Colleen
7K. Walston (John); his brother, William A. Baker (Pearl); his
8grandchildren, Kevin D. Rome, III, Kendel Alyse Carrington
9Rome, Burke S. Walston, Elliot A. Walston, and Henry J. Burke;
10his niece, Arlyce Baker Chandler (Robert); his nephew, William
11Baker, Jr.; his great niece, Alexa Brianne Chandler; and his
12former wife, Addie Scott Baker; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Roland Baker's friends and family will fondly
14remember a kind-hearted, gentle, patient, refined, and
15intelligent man of many talents that include acting, golf,
16politics, and business and remember that his great works live
17on; therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
19NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
20mourn the death of Roland Charles Baker and extend our sincere
21condolences to his family, friends and all those whose lives
22were impacted by him; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to the family of Roland Baker as an expression of our
3deepest sympathy.