Memorium

IN MEMORIUM
All Honor to their names

deceased alumni

John Pope Baker II
1901-197x

SM, ASM, Committee Chairman, Commissioner, Scoutmaster's Key, Silver Beaver
Namesake of The Bakers, originally known as "Baker's Boys"

Scoutmaster Troop XVII 1942-1948, Troop 31 1935-1941
Scoutmaster Troop 164 for crippled Scouts 1938-40:
Rover Crew leader 1936
Merit Badge counselor, Art Merit Badge
Vigil Honor OA 1939 -- one of the first three in St. Louis

Siempre Adalau to Exploradoes de Espana award from the Chief Scout of Spain

Wrote and directed numerous ceremonies over the years
for St. Louis Council award dinners, camporees, circuses, etc;

Attended Philmont twice 1946 and 1943 (one of the first expeditions to the new camp);
Founded and financed the Philmont Scholarship for XVII's SPLs for many years;

Member of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution and the Cincinnati Society;

XVII's esprit-de-corps, numerous older Boys, traditional-style uniforms,
the coat of arms, the military-style ribbon program, flags, are some of his legacies.

A spell-binding speaker, he inspired many Seventeeners during his life;

Dave Barnes
1927-2005

Senior Patrol Leader, Life Scout, OA, ASM

first in the long line of Barnes/Seventeeners
Stag (AKA Minuteman) Patrol Leader
one of the original Scouts transferring from Troop 31 to XVII with John Pope Baker II
twice SPL -- first SPL of the merged troop
on Seventeen’s 1943 month-long expedition to Philmont – one of the earliest after Philmont was opened.
"miracle winner" in a swim meet at the old Irondale swimming "pool". after swimming two lengths, underwater,
he emerged from the murky water after many thought he had possibly drowned.
scouting career interrupted by service in US Army (1945-1946/7)
attended the 1950 National Jamboree at Valley Forge

one of the two composers of the troop song

WWII veteran; served in Korea as an MP after the WWII
cheerleader and yearbook editor at Washington University
worked in the printing/advertising business all his life.
moved to Portland Oregon in 1957
maintained a life-long interest in the troop, always signing his letters, “For a better Troop Seventeen"

dynamic, creative, energetic, strong leader, and powerful speaker with a knack for turning a catchy, memorable phrase.
a positive influence on many of the Seventeeners in the 1940s and 50s.

died of heart failure after many years of coronary-related problems.

Dick Barnes
1930-1990

Long-time Senior Assistant Scoutmaster
Eagle Scout, Baker, OA, JASM, Wood Badge, ASM, Scouter's Key, and Silver Beaver

Was SPL longer than anyone in the long history of the troop
received the Society of the Sons of the Revolution Award
(at the time, the only living person ever to receive it)
for his work as Senior Patrol Leader in reviving XVII after WWII.

While on active duty in the USAF,
he served as Scoumaster of Troop 60 in San Bernardino Calif

a sampling of some of his many many contributions --
official troop photographer -- leaving a 40-year library of over 1500 slides
creating the distinctive Troop Seventeen uniform;
chairman of the Midland District Cub Training Team
the "engineer" on the Baker Cabin;
unofficial troop treasurer and historian;
Cubmaster Packs 344 and 17
writing the narrative & dramatization for the 2nd act of the 1961 Scout Circus
housing and maintaining the troop equipment for 40 years

counselor, leader, friend
remembered by everyone as....
the one "who built monuments more lasting than bronze."

Tom Barnes
1935-2001

Eagle Scout, Head Baker, OA, SPL, JASM, ASM

A founding member of the Bakers and the first Head Baker
The Seventeener most responsible for organizing the Bakers into its present form
The inspiration and driving force behind the Baker Cabin -- it was his idea!

His legacies include:
the Baker constitition, the Baker Cabin, the Baker beret,
the bull whip, dynamite, tons of slides, and many, many great times.

Colonel US Air Force (retired)
flew over 250 combat missions as a fighter pilot over VietNam
worked for Lockheed after retiring from USAF

after retiring from Lockheed he was instrumental in founding the Dixie Wing of the Confederate Air Force
(which preserves and maintains WWII aircraft)

Verne O. Barnhart, Jr.
1926-2001

Scoutmaster, Committee Chairman, Eagle Scout, Silver Beaver

Long-time Scoutmaster and Committee Chairman of Troop Seventeen.
Became Scoutmaster of Troop 17 at the age of 21 in 1948 and served in that capacity for 27 years.
Then served as Committee Chairman for another 21 years -- and finally as Chairman Emeritus.

served as Asst. Scoutmaster for the St. Louis contingent to the 1950 National Jamboree in Valley Forge.
pioneered the Orphans program in conjuction with the Missouri Baptist Children's Home in the late 50's and early 60's.
purchased and owned Camp Nawakwa for use by Troop 17 from 1950 to 1980.
attended Wood Badge at the Schiff National Scout Reservation in New Jersey in 1961.
a Scout in the original Troop 17 prior to the merger with Troop 31 in 1942.

President of the University City Chamber of Commerce, Commander of Atwell T. Lincoln American Legion Post,
member of the Auxiliary Police, the NRA, University City Rotary Club, and St. Louis Council on World Affairs.

Served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the WWII in China.
Owner and president of Midwest Laundries for many years.

Bill Eskridge
1950-2001

Patrol Leader, Order of the Arrow, Baker

Bill was an outstanding patrol leader -- and three-time honor camper -- at the time
his family left St. Louis and moved to California, where he lived until he passed away in December of 2001.

He returned to St. Louis in the summer of 1965 to attend the last year of Camp Irondale with the troop.
An outstanding Scout, excellent leader and popular Seventeener.


	John Honefinger 1938-1959 Life Scout, Baker, Patrol Leader, OA, JASM contracted cancer and had leg amputated while serving as JASM cancer spread over next several years and he died while attending Westminster College in Fulton, Mo.


	Bill Lichty 1934-196x Eagle Scout, Baker, Patrol Leader, OA, JASM, ASM served as an ASM when he briefly lived in St. Louis again after his army service


	Paul Miller 1936-1999 Life Scout, Patrol Leader, Baker, OA, Troop Life Guard, member of the 1951 Scout Circus Drill team personally took charge of constructing the roof and loft of the Baker cabin. became a well respected and successful general contractor in Florida


	Jim Oakey 1946-1971 Star Scout, Baker, Patrol Leader, OA One of the youngest patrol leaders of his generation known for his energy, enthusiasm -- and mischief recruited numerous, active, life-long scouts into the troop died in an automobile crash driving to Chicago


	Mike Rice 1942-1959 Star Scout, Eagle Patrol Leader championship racing ice skater while a patrol leader, he died a tragic death in Forest Park; notoriety surrounding the accident ultimately resulted in the "Mike Rice guidelines" for St. Louis police officers

Hal Smith
1936-2002

Star Scout, Baker, OA, JASM

affectionately known as "Sanitary Smith" for his meticulous cleanliness in camp
he attended the 1950 National Jamboree in Valley Forge and was a member of the 1951 Circus Drill Team

was the number one Honor Camper (now called "Scout of the Year") in 1950 and
a photograph of him receiving the award was featured in the St. Louis Star-Times

was the first patrol leader of the newly formed Hawk Patrol in 1951

graduated from Harvard and then attended Harvard Business School.
worked in commercial real estate in Boston for most of his life.

leaves a wife and a son and daughter.
suffered from cancer in recent years before passing away in October of 2002


	Denny Swaine 1943-1997 Star Scout, Baker, Brotherhood OA, Wood Badge, ASM moved to Tupelo Miss as a teenager where he was voted "most popular" in his high school class knicknamed... "the Stump" because of his stocky stature returned to XVII as an ASM after serving in the Marine Corps in Viet Nam; wheel-chair bound in later years due to war-related illnesses


	Ken Underwood 1937 - 1995 Senior Patrol Leader, Star Scout, Baker, OA, ASM Moved to San Diego in his early twenties where he finished college and became a CPA Served for sixteen years as committee chairman of Troop 850 in Orange County, Calif. Reveived the Orange County, Canyons District, Award of Merit for service to youth in 1985. Both of Ken's sons, Keith & Craig, are Eagle Scouts


	Chris Weidle 1959-1999 Patrol Leader, Star Scout, Head Baker active in XVII Alumni, easy-going, friend to all younger brother of Scoutmasters Larry & Butch died of a heart attack 2-7-99


	Leonard R. Woods 192x - 1994 Silver Beaver long-time committee chairman of Troop Seventeen principal in the Woods-Tussey Insurance Agency until his retirement; kept the troop financially solvent during his many years as chairman. served as a Commander in the U.S. Navy in the Second World War

Scout Troop 17