Memories

What I shall always remember about J. Alan Baker is how much he loved my sister. I always told her she got one of the last good ones so I was not even going to bother to look. He was not only good to her but good to her two kids, Patrick and Mary. And he was a grandfather to end all grandfathers to the six children of Pat and Mary.


The back country trip up Lavender Canyon was the last of our road trip this May and we all had fun including the Rubicon.

We all laughed when Alan lost his shoe in the wet sand of a narrow canyon he scouted before we went through gingerly. He took more photos than Deb and I so being able to take one of him was special.


I stood back and photographed them together on more than one occasion like this one where they paused in the middle of Musselman Arch. The whole trip seemed like a last adventure on some level. But as the eldest I was more concerned I would not be this way again.

This was the ritual tripod photo. One of those happy moments on a back road adventure to Dome Plateau. All smiles now but an hour earlier Alan had been sick, Deb and I thought it was from reading the GPS while we were bumping along. He was our navigator. He always knew just where we were lost. He took a nap in the shade while us sisters rock combed some caves.

When I took this picture from beyond the canyon spanned by the Gemini Bridges I thought he looked tired, but then vacations are tiring. And hadn't he beaten me and Deb to Tower Arch a couple days before?

As any true navigator he is probably just scouting the trail for us.

In loving memory of J. Alan Baker
May 19, 2010



Comments

  1. The Blog of BeeMay 19, 2010 at 1:30 PM

    It just does not seem possible that I was only just making comments on the first batch of photos of your trip and the photo you have at the top here struck a chord with me.

    I think it was wonderful that he took this trip with the two of you and was able to enjoy the beauty just one more time.

    This is a wonderful tribute Jacqui. May Alan rest in peace.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Phat Cat PhineryMay 19, 2010 at 3:55 PM

    I just heard the news terrible news about Alan through mutual friends. Alan was one of the finest men I ever met. I'm so sorry for your loss. Please pass my sympathies along to Debbie.
    God Bless,
    Leslie Bennetsen Hurley

    ReplyDelete
  3. LMay 19, 2010 at 11:41 PM

    Oh my...I'm so sorry to hear about you and your sister's loss Jacqs. I'm baffled...how very sad.

    ReplyDelete

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