Stanley Baker R.I.P.

Stanley Baker dies at 87
By Wayne Larsen

Last words were “What is this mishegas? I was having such a good time.”

Westmount has lost one of its most active citizens and men about town, Stanley Baker.

A long-time resident of the 4300 de Maisonneuve apartment complex, Baker passed away at home on Monday morning at the age of 87. His children, Arnie and Barbara, had flown in from California to be with him at the end.

Well-known in the community as a world traveller who frequently presented illustrated lectures of his trips to exotic locales, Baker was a retired importer/exporter. He was raised in Hendon, a north-west suburb of London, England, but had called Westmount home for many years.

“Stanley was interested in everything,” said former mayor May Cutler, a long-time friend. “He had a rich life. We’ll all miss him, especially those of us at the bridge club.”

From bridge to ballroom dancing, Baker was kept busy by his involvement in many activities and local organizations — in fact it was often said of him that it would be easier to list the organization he was not affiliated with.

A past-president of the Westmount Municipal Association, Baker was the driving force behind the popular Meet the Candidates evenings, held in conjunction with The Examiner prior to each federal, provincial and municipal election. He was also a past-president of the NDG Liberal Association and a member of the Montreal branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society — not to mention (among others) the Bimetallic Question Sherlock Holmes Society, the Rotary Club of Westmount, Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, the Westmount Lawn Bowling Club, David and Diana Nicholson’s Wednesday Night salon, and the McGill Institute for Learning in Retirement.

The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. at Paperman & Sons, 3888 Jean Talon West. Shiva will be private.