SANFORD – Roland “Butch” E. Baker M.D., 1951 – 2022, our rock, our father, brother, Pappy, uncle, friend, and dear husband, passed away unexpectedly, Oct. 25, 2022. He was with the people that he loved, in a place that he loved, doing what he loved.

Roland was born in Patuxant River, Md. to Lt. Cmdr. Philip Baker and Constance (Bouchard) Baker. His military family moved multiple times, but upon his father’s retirement, they settled in Madawaska.

Roland attended the U.S. Naval Academy and earned degrees at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, the University of Vermont, and the University of Vermont School of Medicine in 1984. He finished his OB/Gyn residency at St. Francis Hospital, Hartford, Conn. in 1988. Afterwards, Roland joined Center For Women’s Health and practiced at Goodall Hospital in Sanford and Frisbee Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.H.. Roland retired in 2014 after 26 years in medicine. He loved the people he worked with and his many patients.

Roland and Colleen (Paradis) married in 1973, in Jamestown, Long Island, N.Y. They met in high school and were married for 47 years. They had an eventful but enjoyable life together with all its ups and downs. Together they managed through. They were blessed with their only child, Graham, in 1983.

From our perspective, to know Roland was to love him. We loved him for his inability to roll his rrrrs when trying to speak French, his long highly detailed stories, his ability to solve problems, his selflessness, his patience. He was a hard worker and put others first. We especially loved that, in our eyes, he was a great man and incredible father and husband.

Roland loved electronic gadgets, they frustrated him terribly until he managed to figure them out; he loved science fiction; he loved music, from Motown to Bocelli to smooth jazz; he loved nature and being at the camp with his camp neighbors. We firmly know that he loved his family too.

Roland was predeceased by his parents; siblings Frank and Constance.

He is survived by his wife, Colleen; his son, Graham and his wife, Hana (Poulin); brother, Philip, brother, Jeff and his wife, Phyllis; his grandchildren, his heart, Ryenn and Avi; cousins Ellie Baker, Cricket, Roy, Tom, Fran Bouchard; his in-laws Irvin and Cindy Paradis, Ryan and Marilyn Paradis, Judy Paradis, Cal and Marie Bohovich; and a loving extended family.

A funeral service for Roland will be held on Monday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main St., Springvale. Burial with military honors will be private for the family at the Southern Maine Veteran’s Cemetery.

Condolences may be expressed at http://www.blackfuneralhomes.com

In lieu of flowers

contributions may be made in his memory to a

local food pantry.

Copy the Story Link