Lawrence Baker

Lawrence Leroy Baker was born on January 3, 1944, in Bunker Hill, Illinois, to Malchus Brooks Baker Sr. and Ernestine Ruth Allen. He was the second of four children and was raised with the values of hard work, humility, and quiet determination that would define the course of his life.  

On September 19, 1964, he married Cheryl Ann Carnahan, beginning a partnership that would span decades. Together, they raised two daughters, Shauna Marie (Taylor) and Stacy Ann (Baker-Fritz), who carry forward both his strength and his steady presence.  

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1969, answering a calling not just to teach, but to influence. For Larry, education was never confined to a classroom. It lived on sports fields, in locker rooms, and in the quiet moments where character is formed.

He began his career at Potomac High School, where he taught physical education and coached baseball, basketball, and track from 1970 to 1977. He then taught at Schlarman Academy in Danville, Illinois from 1977 to 1981, while also coaching baseball, football, and track. There, and throughout his career, he taught far more than the mechanics of the game. He taught discipline, accountability, and how to carry oneself with dignity in both victory and defeat.  He later joined St. Francis High School in Wheaton, Illinois, where he served from 1983 to 2018 as Athletic Director, Assistant Principal, Director of Operations, and track coach.

Larry believed deeply in athletics as a proving ground for life. He saw sports as a vehicle for leadership, for perseverance, and for understanding that effort, not outcome, defines a person. That belief shaped generations of young people, many of whom may never fully realize how much of him they carry forward.  He was also a devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, following them faithfully through the years. Whether the team was winning or struggling, his loyalty never wavered, a quiet reflection of the kind of man he was.  

In his later years, Larry faced Alzheimer’s dementia, a long and difficult journey that gradually took much from him, but never touched the foundation of who he had been. Even as memories faded, the impact of his life remained firmly rooted in the people he loved and the lives he shaped.

He passed away on April 19, 2026, at Oak Hill Senior Living (Accolade Healthcare) in Waterloo, Illinois, at the age of 82.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Cheryl; and his brothers, Malchus Brooks Baker Jr. and Robert Allen Baker.

He is survived by his sister, Beverly Ann Baker of Lake Montezuma, Arizona; his daughters, Stacy (Matthew) Fritz of Shiloh, Illinois, and Shauna (Douglas Ronald) Taylor of Woodridge, Illinois; and his grandchildren, Joseph Robert Baker, Christopher Ryan Taylor, Taylor Lawren (Michael Matarazzo), and Matthew Taylor Fritz II.

Larry’s life was not defined by titles or recognition, but by presence. He showed up, day after day, for his family, his students, his teams, and his community. He did the work. He set the example. He left things better than he found them. That is a legacy that does not fade.  

Public visitation will be 10 am on May 9, 2026 at Kravanya Funeral Home in Bunker Hill, Illinois with a memorial service at 11 am. Interment will be at Bunker Hill Cemetery. Reception will follow at the Bunker Hill Community Center.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis High School in Wheaton, Illinois, or to the Alzheimer's Association.