Gladys Elizabeth Baker, 1908–2007

Abstract

Gladys Baker was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on 22 Jul 1908. She was the second daughter of Richard Phillip Baker and Katherine Riedelbauch. Gladys' father was from England and had matriculated simultaneously at Oxford University and University of London, and he graduated from both in 1887. He had come to explore the United States in 1888 and settled in the exciting frontiers of Texas where he taught secondary school and music while reading for the bar. In 1900 he was living in a boardinghouse in Lamar, Missouri, where he was president and science master of Lamar College. Gladys' mother, a daughter of German immigrants and a Lamar College music teacher, was living in the same boardinghouse. They became engaged and both left Lamar College for Anna Illinois Academy in 1901. Richard and Katherine were married 22 Feb 1902 in Glasford, Illinois. Richard developed a business making and marketing three-dimensional mathematical models for use in teaching. His models are in the collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. In 1905 he accepted a mathe matics teaching position at the University of Iowa, simultaneously pursuing a mathematics and physics doctorate at the University of Chicago. While at the University of Iowa, he taught mathematics, continued to build mathematical models and pursued his wide ranging interests. Kate cared for their two daughters, kept house, taught music and grew flowers. Gladys and her sister Frances were raised in this sheltered, but intellectually exciting, environment. Gladys recalled that, There were always music, books and interesting conversations with the family and visitors, all combining to make it a perfect environ ment in which to grow. Frances received her doctorate at the University of Chicago and went on to teach mathematics at Mount Holyoke College and Vassar College where she served as chairwoman of the mathematics department. Gladys graduated from Iowa City High School with honors in 1926. After graduation she and Frances made a grand tour of Europe. Gladys received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1930 with majors in history and botany and a minor in zoology. She went on to pursue a master's degree from the University of Iowa under the direction of G.W. Martin, mycologist. She completed her master's in 1932 with a major in mycology and a minor in embryology. Her thesis work, a morphological study of myxomycete fructifi