Alva Daniel Baer

Our dear husband and father, Alva Daniel Baer, passed away following a brief illness at the age of 84. Born in Salt Lake City to Francis M. Baer, Jr. and Violet Lloyd Baer, Al graduated from South High School in 1945, and then served in the US Navy at the end of WWII, where he completed the Naval radio electronics program. With the help of the GI Bill, he earned a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Utah, followed by a M.S. and ultimately a PhD. degree bestowed in 1959. He was a professor in that department for 36 years, until his retirement in 1995. In addition to his academic career, he worked in industry for Westvaco Chemical in Newark, CA, Atomics International in Los Angeles and Hercules Aerospace in Salt Lake City. He was an expert in combustion.

He married his wife, Carol, on September 15, 1951 and was a devoted husband for 61 wonderful years. He was a loving and encouraging father to his two sons, Sam and Tom, and his daughter, Amanda. He was immensely proud of all three of them.

Al loved the outdoors: he was an avid skier in his youth; built a family cabin in the Uintas; backpacked many wilderness trails in Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona; and especially loved hiking in the Grand Canyon and the red rock country around Moab. He was involved with Boy Scout Troop 410 for many years where he made many lasting friendships.

He is preceded in death by two older brothers, Frank L. Baer and Harry Robert Baer, and a younger sister, Marion Baer Cullimore. He is survived by his wife and three children, a daughter-in-law, Royanne McWaters-Baer, and two grand-daughters, Jane and Carolann.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the University of Utah Chemical Engineering Scholarship Fund, or a charity of your choice. Family and friends will be received from 10 am prior to the funeral services which will be held at 11am on Saturday Sept. 29 at Holbrook Mortuary, 3251 South 2300 East, Salt Lake City. Interment will follow at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 Highland Drive in Salt Lake City. Condolences may be left for the family at: www.HolbrookMortuary.com