"That will be $5 unless you are a Corbett Booster!" Pat Lucas has been the faithful gate keeper at nearly all of the Corbett High School sporting events. Always ready with a smile and a kind word, rain or shine, Pat is there to collect the money for the Corbett sports programs. Pat's grandparents, Louie and Clara (Kerslake) Baker purchased nearly 40 acres in Aims after WWI. The going price at the time? $11 an acre!! The Baker's went on to have and raise four children of their own as well as foster kids over the years in Aims. Pat's parents, Jim and Ardis (Mershon) Baker had Pat in 1947 and her sister Linda in 1951. Pat remembers that after WWII all the women in her extended family milked the cows while also raising the kids and the men were all loggers. Pat married Rick Lucas after they met at Eastern Oregon College. Rick decided to join the Army rather than be drafted, and went to Fort Lewis for basic training. Landing in Germany, Pat and Rick had sons Jeff in 1971 and Jaimie in 1973 while in Stuttgart. Moving back to Aims in 1976, Pat and Rick divorced in 1987. Pat has since moved into the home of her parents where she grew up, and son Jaimie is living in his childhood home, just next door! Sister Linda lives at the end of the road. Jeff married and was in the Navy Seals 17 years after graduating from Corbett High as a stand out athlete. Pat spent spring break in Florida at Disneyworld with Jeff, wife Rhonda and grandson Seth just over five years ago. Pat remembers that week fondly. Just after arriving back home to Aims, Pat found out Jeff was being shipped out to Afghanistan. On June 28th at 5 am Pat received a call from Rhonda. There had been a terrible accident and Jeff had been killed, fighting for our country. Today we have a beautiful stadium at the high school to honor the amazing son that Pat raised. Today she finds comfort living near Jaimie who is a Hoodland paramedic and firefighter and also appreciates living in her "house of treasures." Pat says she is often finding "treasures" of her youth in storage and in closets such as a doll she received at age 9. Living a full life, Pat is happy to be amongst both blood and community family here in Corbett.
