Cheryl Ann Baker the most caring, loving Sister and friend to all. Born June 10, 1948 in the Bremerton Naval Hospital. She grew up in Walla Walla, attended Kennewick High School her Senior year, graduating 1966. She was very athletic playing and excelled in softball, tennis and gymnastics. After high school she worked for Boeing at Payne Field helping build the first 747.

Cheryl graduated from Eastern Washington University, in 1974 with a Bachelor’s Arts degree from School of Education. She wanted to be High School Physical Education teachers but positions were not available in the mid 70’s. She competed in Bellingham Women’s Summer Softball League after graduating and remained a resident of Bellingham the rest of her life.

She found employment with Georgia Pacific Paper Mill in Bellingham, starting as manual labor shoveling wood chip from railroad cars into the factory. Over her 30-year career she was promoted up through the ranks to be Plant Operational Manager, responsible for all facets of operations, until their closure. During her career she obtained certificates as Industrial Safety Inspector. She trained employees and monitor operations of the Cherry Point Refineries. She also served as a First Responder for industrial incidents such as: Helena Montana Train Wreck, when 49 cars of a Montana Rail Link freight train car were decoupled from their locomotives and rolled backwards down the pass, traveling nine miles backwards. Also, one of first on scene at the 2010 Tesoro Anacortes Refinery disaster. When seven workers received fatal burns in the explosion.

Cheryl never dwelled on negative events. She took the opportunity to achieve her lifelong dream when GP closed. She obtained her pilot’s license and bought a Cessna airplane. She enjoyed taking her grandma, Mom and Dad on flights around the Puget Sound area.

Cheryl created her own company CAB Publications focusing on advocating the history of women in aviation. She reached out to the 1920’s and 30’s era Women Aviation Pioneers that were still alive and commissioned an artist to draw renderings of them standing near their famous airplanes in the uniforms of the era. She would fly her plane to the Oshkosh, Wisconsin to attend the annual air show to sell her artwork and networking with other Aviator enthusiasts.

She became a world-renowned expert on the history of women in aviation and was a fact checker for the History and Discovery TV channels. In 1998 Cheryl was inducted into the International Forest of Friendship along with Senator John Glenn, in the City of Atchison, KS, birthplace of Amelia Earhart. In recognition for advocating, “The Ninety-Nines”, International Organization of Women Pilots. Cheryl developed a close friendship with Evelyn "Bobbi" Trout, (January 7, 1906 – January 24, 2003) an early American aviator and endurance flying record holder. In 2001 she was recognized as the only living participant in the first Women's Air Derby of 1929. Cheryl was Bobbi’s primarily caretaker the last five years of her life. Cheryl will be buried near Bobbie in Valhallalla Memorial Park, Hollywood, CA.

In 2018 Cheryl was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she slowly slipped alway over the past years, in the longest goodbye. Cheryl preceded in death by her parents Roy and Dorothy Baker, Edmonds WA. She is survived in by her sister Cyndi M. Baker-Newburn of Chandler AZ and their children Traci Newburn-Breinholt and Scott Newburn. Her younger brother and his wife John B and Evangeline M Baker of Bainbridge Islands, WA, and her lifelong friends Pam Hund, Peg Seeling, Joanne Severson, and many others. Cheryl requested to be interred without ceremony.

She would encourage you to become a member of the Friend of The International Forest of Friendship. https://ifof.org/forest-friends