New to Blackhawk, Randy and Karen Baker moved in last June to be closer to their children and grandchildren. They have moved a lot in their long marriage and say they have never felt more welcomed in a new community. “The neighbors are VERY friendly and were very welcoming. We think this may be the friendliest neighborhood we have ever lived in, and we have moved a lot. Once COVID has settled a bit, we look forward to more neighborhood activities.”
Long retired and empty nesters, the Bakers love travel, charity, time with family and friends, and, of course, lots of quality time with their grandchildren.
Married for almost 50 years, Randy and Karen met on a blind date on March 24th, 1973; it went so well they were married eight months later. “Randy was one of the kindest and caring men I had ever met, and we talked with each other about everything and anything. I knew right away he was the one,” says Karen.
Randy says he knew Karen was his perfect match right away also, “Karen was kind, loving and attractive. We had similar, compatible personalities. Plus, she loved children. We both shared a strong interest in successful futures together.” Although it was a true blind date for Karen, in the interest of not wasting any time, Randy says he found out where Karen worked before they met in person and decided to check her out before the date, “Karen had a part-time job in retail, so I decided to visit the store and look for her name tag. I liked what I saw and definitely wanted to take her out. I only told Karen this after our first date.”
Karen was born and raised in Mishawaka, Indiana. She graduated from Indiana University, in Bloomington, IN. Due to frequent moves, she explored several careers. “We moved a lot for Randy’s work, so I was able to hold a variety of jobs. I worked as a speech therapist for many years, taught English as a second language, worked with severely emotionally disturbed teens and taught Pre-school and Kindergarten. After years of teaching, I entered the corporate world as a meeting planner and worked for Tandem Computers for 10 years. Each job I had was fulfilling, and had we stayed in one place I would not have had all the experiences,” says Karen.
Randy was born in Westchester County, NY. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in Psychology and Business. He began his career with IBM and stayed for 18 years. Next, he joined Tandem Computers for nine years. His last job before retirement was with Oracle for seven years. “I enjoyed each job and specifically my role in customer service and support worldwide. I was able to observe and understand other cultures and various value systems,” says Randy.
Since the couple retired 21 years ago, they have been able to enjoy extensive travel. They also enjoy including their children and grandchildren in their trips. Karen and Randy have four children and eight grandchildren. They chose Blackhawk to be closer to two of their sons and their families that live nearby. “We also wanted a place that offered amenities like golf, pickleball and fine dining. The gated community was also very attractive,” adds Karen.
Giving back to their community and those in need has always been important to the Bakers. “Each November, we grant money to various charities. We have given most generously to charities that serve the mental health community, children who have been abused or misplaced due to circumstances, and educational institutions that assist students who are financially challenged. I have served on three different non-profit boards dedicated to serving those in need. It is essential that we think about others who are challenged in some way, and we believe we are here to help others to the extent we can,” says Karen. The Baker family motto is: If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies, how very different our ideals of beauty would be. They live up to that motto in how they live their lives and commit their resources.
Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact us at mscott@bestversionmedia.com.
By Megan Scott, Resident since 2010