Our Officers

The Tradition of Personal and Ethical Service Continues...

R. W. Baker, Founder 1885 - 1928	R. N. Baker, Sr. 1928 - 1940	R. N. Baker, Jr. 1940 - 1967
Allie Oliver Baker 1967 - 1969	Robert N. Baker, III 1967 - Present	Roberta B. Powell 1969 - Present
Robert N. Baker, IV "Blake" 2000 - Present	Kelly Baker

Since 1885, R. W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home has been a business run by a direct descendant of Robert Washington Baker. He started the business when it encompassed both made-to-order coffins and a furniture store.

R. N. Baker, Sr., operated the business from 1928 to 1940. His son, R.N. Baker, Jr. attended Virginia Military Institute and received a degree from the School of Engineering. He took over from 1949 until his death in 1967.

R.N. Baker III, the current President, and his mother, Allie Oliver Baker, then ran the business together from 1967-1969. Allie was one of the few women in the state who had a funeral director's license at that time. During that time, R. N. Baker III was attending mortuary school in Syracuse, New York, and was also on active duty with the National Guard in Fort Knox. Prior to attending mortuary school, Robert III received a degree in Business Administration from Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC. In 1969, he returned to operate the business full time.

In 2000, Robert N. "Blake" Baker IV, the Vice President, joined the family business, making him the 5th-generation family member to work for R. W. Baker & Co. Blake had received an environmental science degree from Ferrum College and worked in the consulting field for three years. He then decided to return home and work with his father. Blake attended John Tyler Community College in Chester, VA, for a degree in Mortuary Science and after serving an 18-month apprenticeship, passed both the state and national exams.

Roberta Baker Powell, joined the family business in 1969. The second daughter of Bob and Allie, she graduated from the Medical College of Virginia, now known as VCU, from the School of E-ray Technology. After working at Obici Hospital for a number of years, she became the office manager of this family business.