Dina A Baker

Dina A. Baker

March 9, 1932 — October 15, 2021

October 15, 2021, the Walla Walla valley lost a caring, committed volunteer whose leadership positions in AAUW and other groups improved the lives of many Walla Wallan’s, especially women.

Dina Baker was born in Yakima, WA to Artimes and Eleni Salagianis.   Her parents had   emigrated from Greece. The family, that included a brother Peter, lived miles up the railroad tracks where her father was stationed for his railroad work. She spoke only Greek until her first day of school.

Dina graduated from Yakima High School.  She then started at Eastern Washington University and then transferred to the University of Washington earning a degree in French.  Dina would not admit this, but scrapbooks reveled she was on the honor roll with straight A’s during most of her college days.  She learned English quickly as a child but never forgot her first language, Greek.  She communicated with relatives in Greece, traveled there many times, and hosted family members in Walla Walla.

After college while living in Spokane she met and married her life partner Lieutenant Colonel Carroll Baker.  Soon after their marriage they moved to Omaha, Nebraska to Offutt Air Force Base.  Later they transferred to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany for several years in the 1960s.  There Dina was awarded a Special Certificate for her work with family services on the base.  The couple traveled extensively while in Europe.  In 1968 they returned to the states.  Carroll started work for Seattle First Bank (later Bank of America) in Spokane then transferred to Walla Walla in 1974 where he served as bank President.

Dina gave much to the various communities where she resided throughout her life. Her list of achievements showed the breadth of her involvement for decades. Dina focused on volunteering for community non-profit organizations.  She often was instrumental in brainstorming, organizing, and then obtaining funding for numerous community programs.  You couldn’t just say no to Dina when she was selling tickets for a myriad of community nonprofit fund raisers.

Many people volunteer but few are recognized for substantial contributions.  She accomplished the following: Walla Walla Area Chamber of Commerce “Award of Merit”—1990; Leadership award from Walla Walla Community Services Council—1989 and 1990; Three-time American Association of University Women (AAUW) local branch Honoree; Dina Baker/Walla Walla AAUW Branch American Foundation Fund was established in 1997. (This fund grants scholarships to women studying for graduate degrees.  Local AAUW members established and funded this graduate scholarship in her name.); Co-founding member for a local adult literacy program called Project Read.  She spearheaded efforts to obtain an AAUW national grant to initially fund the program.  She served as its treasurer and finance chairman for several years; YWCA board of directors for seven years including as vice-president and treasurer; American Heart Association local advisory board; Walla Walla Symphony Guild where she served as Guild president and was the initiator of several new fund-raising projects; Walla Walla Symphony vice-president and then president of the board.  (In honor of her husband she endowed a chair at the symphony that supports a musician.); She was Spokane branch president of AAUW from 1971-1973.  Then in Walla Walla she served on the local board for decades.  At the Washington State level, she served as treasurer, nominating chair and cultural program chair.

Dina was an avid tennis and bridge player.  She was a long-time member of the Walla Walla Country Club. She had a large circle of friends.  She enjoyed weekly lunches with a group of friends called “Noisy Thursday”.  Their laughs echoed thru many local eateries--hence the name.

Dina was preceded  by her parents.  She is survived by her brother, Peter Salagianis.

Graveside service will be November 4, 2021, at 10am.  Memorial donations may be made to Walla Walla Symphony, Walla Walla YWCA, Walla Walla Hospice, and Walla Walla Humane Society through  Herring Groseclose Funeral Home 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA, 99362.