Mrs Dorothy A. Baker (DIC 1962)

Provided by Dr Lionel Baker

Dorothy Ann Baker (1935-2008)

After experiencing a number of different primary schools in Oxford and Herne Bay, due to the war situation, Dorothy joined the Bromley County Grammar School for Girls in 1946. It soon became clear that her special gifts included sport as well as mathematics.  This combination meant she was readily welcomed as a team member and eventually elevated to Captain of the tennis and hockey teams. She was soon set on the path to academic achievement resulting in a County and State Scholarship.  Her time at Kings College London resulted in a 1st Class Honours degree in mathematics followed by an offer of employment by IBM.

Her first task in the IBM team was to contribute to the design of a major dam in Egypt but when a vacancy eventually arose nearer to home she applied for a post at Sira in Chislehurst as an optical system designer although she had no experience in this subject.   It did not matter because she was sent on an MSc course at Imperial College to acquire the necessary knowledge.  She studied with Professor H H Hpkins, inventor of the zoom lens and the modern endoscope and soon got to know Lionel who had previously been through the same training and was also working at Sira.  They married in 1963 and became a life-long team extending over the next 45 years.

Their sons Richard and Geoffrey were soon born and Dorothy’s interest in optics was satisfied, over 17 years, on a voluntary basis as the Secretary of an international archival journal, now called the Journal of Modern Optics, edited by Lionel in his spare time.  It should be mentioned that Dorothy was co-author of an important technical paper that eventually formed the basis of a new International Standard for optical system testing still in use today.  Due to the wide range of international contacts resulting from this work Lionel and Dorothy had opportunity to visit countries such as Germany, Russia, Italy, France, USA, Canada, Japan and Australia.  Her friends agreed that her written German could not be faulted.

Her main pastime was tennis resulting in numerous trophies and on wet days the Telegraph cryptic crossword was engaged with enthusiasm and sometimes even with success. In spite of ability in several fields her dominant characteristic was gracious modesty.  There can be few blessed to enjoy regular contact with so many friends over so many decades. She will be greatly missed for her good company and willingness to help others from tennis, church, employment, university, German class, and from overseas. 

L R Baker, 30 April 2008