Paul B Mccormick
I met Larry in 1973 when I was 5 years old. I knew his wife as the nice woman named “Pinky”. At least that is the name we all used and I never knew to think it was a nick name used by her dearest family. I met them because they needed another family to watch their children Cheryl (5) and Mitch (2) when they left for work in the morning at 7 AM and to be picked up at about 5:15 PM each day.
Since Cheryl and I were in the same kindergarten class it was a perfect fit for our family to play that role in their lives, and Cheryl and I quickly became great friends. We were together 5 days a week from 7 AM until 5 PM, for the next two years. Together we rode the bus to school went to class and then came home and played each day until it was time to leave. We had great times, and she was my first friend that was a girl.
Larry was building a house himself by hand in Cromwell and at the same time my own dad was building our own new home himself about 5 miles away. So together these two families were in a similar time of their lives, with children of the same age in the same school and both families building new homes for their families. I remember Larry bought a new canopy for his little blue truck and gave his old canopy to my dad for our truck, which we had for the next 15-20 years.
I recall seeing their own home be framed up, then roofing, and siding and doors and they moved in before it was done just like we did in our own home, moving in with many bare walls and unfinished doors and maybe no carpet yet. I loved having sleep overs at their house even before it was complete and they had sleep overs at our house. It was great times and I have only great memories of that time and of the Baker family. Larry and Pinky were loving affectionate people and I can only remember them as being happy, smiling people, great parents and great for me to be around. Larry taught me to shoot his bow and arrow when I was about 7 years old, the first time I ever used a real bow. I remember at Cheryl’s birthday party me and all the kids riding the zip line Larry had rigged up from the corner of the house to the large tree at the edge of the woods.
I remember all the fun on Mitch’s big wheel either riding in cycles in the lower garage or else riding it down the hill on the adjacent lot full of scotch broom. And I remember the very first time they showed me their magic “8-Ball” which could answer all your questions and tell your future if you ask.
We only did the child care arrangement for 2 years, but those two years were great and impactful memories that have remained inside me for 46 years. I have only good memories of Larry and his family and the work he did to build their house and provide a better future for their lives. My own dad is already gone now, and as Larry now passes on to the other side of wherever we all go, I hope his family will find peace in the hope we have that one day we all might reunite in a wonderful place to once again find the joy and peace that we as children once all experienced. Blessings to the Baker family.
From Paul McCormick
