Michael "Cozy" Baker Passes Away

[Tommy T-Bird]

I'm sorry to report that our dear friend, Cozy Baker, passed away this morning. I just received the phone call that confirms this terrible news. There are no further details regarding funeral plans or services at this time. I'm sure we'll receive more info as the day progresses.

The entire drum corps community has lost a true CHAMPION for the activity and many of us have lost a close friend.

Our prayers are with his family and those closest to him as we all grieve this terrible loss.

Rest in Peace, Cozy.

-john

RIP

[thebrassshop]

We were at DCA 08 Cozy always a member of the Brass Shop RED CUP CLUB

(adult beverage), was at the van having just 1 or 2 and a bit of london broil hot off the grill,

always wanting to quote anything said, he wanted everybody to know if he could write about it, I had to decline, very expensive, RIP Cozy WE will keep your cup and raise one for you at championships.Both DCI and DCA

We have lost another great one

Paul Collins

The Brass Shop

[anokaflash]

My thoughts and prayers to Cozy and the family. He was truly one of a kind.

He will be missed!

Kurt 'Flash' Schiebel

[J.C.]

Cozy was one of the really "good guys" in this activity and he will be greatly missed. Lisa and I had a good cry yesterday when we heard the news from Hairbear, and we had a little wake, telling Cozy stories all afternoon through the tears. We often had the pleasure of hosting Cozy at our house when he marched Kilts in 99. Those days are now all the more precious to us as we have lost our dear friend.

Rest in Peace Cozy, and say hi to Lothar for me.

WWBD!

[Roger Grupp]

One thing I really admired about Cozy was that he was really uncool.

I mean that in the nicest way.

He let his true 'fandom' hang out. He loved everything about drum corps. He loved all the people. He had fun and good things to say about every one and every corps he came in contact with. He wasn't afraid to go a little overboard!

He loved words, too! He was absolutely shameless in his punning and other word play, and seemed to love every clever turn of a phrase -- and boy, could he make them up!

We should all be so uncool.

Thanks, Cozy, for all the nice things you said about us and Minnesota Brass. We love ya, and we miss ya.

Roger Grupp and Tina Cavitt

[TomPeashey]

and Roger, I know for a fact that YOU are near the top of his "most admired" list...

Your observations are most insightful... don't be surprised if I quote you at some point...

Cozy was EVERYBODY's fan... he didn't care whether you had 10 horns or 70 horns... just won DCI or just finished 25th at DCA prelims... he loved everyone in the business...

[CVQuesty]

I'll never forget the parade in Bridgeport last year... There was Cozy, hangin' with us, waiting to step off... Wearing that hat with some piece of palm tree or something hanging out the back. He looks past me at something, and I can tell it's got his attention, and he's not talking to me any more. He says "I'll be right back."

I turn around to see him making a bee-line for a couple of active duty Marines, and... yep. You guessed it ... the flag was out of place. He proceeds to the flag bearer, and I can't hear what he's saying, but he's looking up into this Marine's face and poking him on his chest. The commander walked over and Cozy turns to him and gives him the exact same treatment.

(I don't know whether to feel better for Cozy they didn't shoot him right there, or to feel better for them that he didn't tear them apart with his bare hands)

I could see him getting really animated and pointing at the flag and then the guard, and telling them to change places. The Marines were looking at their commander, and they were ignoring him. He wouldn't move out of their way even thought the marshall was calling for them to line up. Finally, they relented and changed places and then he let them line up for the parade.

He saunters back on over to where we're about to take off and told me the story that they weren't going to change it and were ignoring him. He told them that he served in 'Nam, and he wasn't about to let them step off without correcting the place of the flag.

That's the last flag violation I remember seeing him police personally. He told me about a couple from DCI finals, but this will always epitomize in my heart and mind the patriot Cozy was, and not afraid to stand up to anyone for the flag he loved and served.

I'll miss Cozy greatly.

[camel lips]

I'll never forget the parade in Bridgeport last year... There was Cozy, hangin' with us, waiting to step off... Wearing that hat with some piece of palm tree or something hanging out the back. He looks past me at something, and I can tell it's got his attention, and he's not talking to me any more. He says "I'll be right back."

I turn around to see him making a bee-line for a couple of active duty Marines, and... yep. You guessed it ... the flag was out of place. He proceeds to the flag bearer, and I can't hear what he's saying, but he's looking up into this Marine's face and poking him on his chest. The commander walked over and Cozy turns to him and gives him the exact same treatment.

(I don't know whether to feel better for Cozy they didn't shoot him right there, or to feel better for them that he didn't tear them apart with his bare hands)

I could see him getting really animated and pointing at the flag and then the guard, and telling them to change places. The Marines were looking at their commander, and they were ignoring him. He wouldn't move out of their way even thought the marshall was calling for them to line up. Finally, they relented and changed places and then he let them line up for the parade.

He saunters back on over to where we're about to take off and told me the story that they weren't going to change it and were ignoring him. He told them that he served in 'Nam, and he wasn't about to let them step off without correcting the place of the flag.

That's the last flag violation I remember seeing him police personally. He told me about a couple from DCI finals, but this will always epitomize in my heart and mind the patriot Cozy was, and not afraid to stand up to anyone for the flag he loved and served.

I'll miss Cozy greatly.

Thats a funny story and was even funnier when you told it when cozy was there to animate it.I will never forget that.

[Cru2u]

Thru the years, it has been a pleasure to read Cozy's articles and columns for DCW!!

Meeting him last year was such a GREAT time and colorful event at DCA I & E's, meeting one of Drum and Bugle Corp's ICONS!!

On behalf of the Rochester Crusaders, we extend our heartfelt condolences to your family and many friends........

RIP, Cozy!

[Fred Windish]

What a wonderful man. Here's a guy who put most of his life on hold to make the drum corps world a better place. I appreciate the Cozy memories being shared here. I'll add one.

Cozy and I both enjoyed Alabama football. Even though he was an Ohio State grad, his family was from Alabama, he now lived back there, and had 13 acres waiting for him in another part of the state. We did some football weekends together in Alabama and in Mississippi. I was also very curious about the South's cotton industry. There I was, looking at cotton fields. I needed to touch it, to pick it. After all, my elementary school experience referred often to cotton, something unknown to Pennsylvania folks.

Thanks to Cozy, I did it. . . I actually PICKED it. We stopped at a farm house. He insisted on knocking on the door first, lest we receive a shotgun blast to the backside. Thankfully, no one was home. We both walked into the field and Cozy watched as I did what I HAD to do. Cozy was really amused by the "religious experience" I was having. He smiled broadly. That cotton is here now, my wife crafted a Christmas tree snowman from it. It's on our tree.

We drove on, talking about cotton . . . then about mini-corps.

God bless.