Rollin H. (Rollin Harold) Baker

Born in Cordova, Illinois, on November 11, 1916, and raised largely in Texas, he built a life around zoology from an early age. He earned a B.A. in zoology from the University of Texas in 1937, an M.S. in entomology from Texas A&M in 1938, and a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Kansas in 1948. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy with Naval Medical Research Unit 2.

His academic career included work at the University of Kansas, where he joined the faculty and served as Curator of Mammals, and later at Michigan State University, where in 1955 he became director of the museum and professor in zoology and fisheries and wildlife. He remained at Michigan State until retiring in 1982. Sources on his papers and memorials also note the breadth of his research life, including extensive field studies and a large body of published work.

He is remembered as a major figure in mammalogy, especially for pioneering research on the biogeography and natural history of Mexican mammals, particularly rodents, and for important work on Michigan mammals as well. Colleagues described him as a generous mentor whose influence continued well past retirement; he stayed active in mammalogy and conservation late into life, and he died on November 12, 2007, one day after his 91st birthday.