Richard Henry Baker IV (July 8, 1897 – April 12, 1981) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, serving from 1959 to 1965.

Early life and education

Baker was born on July 8, 1897, in

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

. He was educated at the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia and graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. and later enrolled in the Virginia Theological Seminary to study for the ordained ministry. Baker deployed as an ambulance driver on the French front lines during World War I and received the

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

for his courageous service.

Career

Baker was ordained deacon in June 1923 and priest in March 1924. His ministry commenced in Virginia and Louisiana. In 1931 he became rector of the Church of the Redeemer in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

, where he remained until his episcopal election. In 1950, Baker was elected Coadjutor Bishop of North Carolina. He was consecrated in the Church of the Good Shepherd in Raleigh, North Carolina on January 25, 1951, by Presiding Bishop Henry Knox Sherrill."Dr Baker Consecrated"
''The Living Church'', New York, 04 February 1951. Retrieved on 20 December 2018. He became diocesan bishop in 1959. He retired in 1965 and moved to Baltimore.

Personal life

Baker married Elizabeth Lee Small and together had two children including the Reverend Richard H. Baker V.

References

* 1897 births 1981 deaths Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France) Episcopal Church in North Carolina 20th-century American Episcopalians Episcopal bishops of North Carolina 20th-century American bishops 20th-century American Episcopal priests {{US-Anglican-bishop-stub