Virginia S. Baker
| Virginia S. Baker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1921 Baltimore, Maryland, US |
| Died | July 29, 1998 (aged 76) Baltimore, Maryland, US |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | High school |
| Alma mater | Eastern High School |
| Known for | Civil servant |
| Memorial(s) | Virginia S. Baker Recreation Center |
Virginia S. Baker (1921 – July 29, 1998) was an American civil servant and employee of the Department of Recreation and Parks in Baltimore City, Maryland, U.S. She was known by a number of nicknames, such as Queenie, Queen of Fun, Baltimore's First Lady of Fun, "queen of the hill", and "Baltimore's oldest kid". In 1984, the recreation center in Patterson Park was named the Virginia S. Baker Recreation Center to honor Baker's years of service to the center and to the children of Baltimore.
Baker started her career as a volunteer playground monitor at the old Patterson Park recreation center and was hired to work for the Department of Recreation and Parks right after graduating from Eastern High School in 1939. She held a variety of job titles in her 53 years of civil service. She was best known for the many events and programs she initiated as director of the "Adventures in Fun" office, an office in City Hall created specifically for Baker by former Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer.
In an address to the Senate, U.S. Senator from Maryland and Baltimore-native Barbara Mikulski made a special tribute to Baker following her death in 1998. Baker died at age 76 due to complications from pneumonia.
Born in 1921 in Baltimore City, Maryland, Virginia S. Baker was raised in East Baltimore and lived in Baltimore for her entire life. As a kid, Baker was often known by her nickname Queenie, or sometimes kids in the neighborhood referred to her as "queen of the hill". As an adult, Baker was given more nicknames, such as Queen of Fun, Baltimore's First Lady of Fun, and "Baltimore's oldest kid", which were often used by reporters when Baker was mentioned in newspaper articles.
Baker's father, an immigrant from Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), changed his surname shortly after arriving in the U.S. He changed it to Baker from Pecinka, a derivative of pekař – Czech for "baker". Her mother, Hattie Baker, was a Baltimore-native of Czech descent. Until Virginia Baker's father died in 1954, her parents ran a confectionery store in East Baltimore on the corner of Monument Street and Belnord Avenue where Baker spent much of her childhood. She also spent a lot of time roller-skating around the streets of Baltimore and coming up with contests, races, and other games to play with kids in the neighborhood.
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