BAKER, Donald Roger 1918 - 2016

BAKER, JOHNSON, METER, HANSEN, VAAGE, PITKIN

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 10/12/2017 at 08:38:54

Clear Lake- Donald Roger Baker, 97, of Clear lake, Iowa, died Sunday, February 21, 2016, at Rockwell Community Nursing Home in Rockwell, Iowa.

Private graveside services were held in the Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake, Iowa.

Donald was born May 16, 1918, the son of Jeremy and Carrie (Johnson) Baker, on the family farm northwest of Forest City. He graduated from Leland High School in 1936.

Donald married Mildred Mary Meter on February 22, 1941, at the home of his parents in Ventura, Iowa.

Donald and Mildred’s first date was on the Fourth of July when they enjoyed the carnival in Clear Lake. Donald farmed in the Ventura area until 1946. He and Mildred then moved to a farm north of Clear Lake where they farmed and lived the rest of their lives. Mildred died October 16, 2015.

Donald loved flowers. He took great pleasure in planting and growing large and beautiful gardens. Donald also enjoyed inventing and then making tools that made his career as a farmer easier and more efficient. He loved to read, especially biographies and mystery novels.

Donald is survived by two sons. Wayne Baker and Gene (Nancy) Baker, both of Clear Lake; two grandchildren, Josh (Charity) Baker of Rockwell, Iowa and Julia (Jacob) Hansen of Denver, Colorado; and three great-grandchildren, Andrew and Lily Baker of Rockwell, Iowa and Eloise Hansen of Denver, Colorado; brothers Robert (Marion) Baker and Loren Baker of Clear Lake; sister Margaret Vaage of Clear Lake, and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mildred; infant daughter, Doreen Maries; sister, Dorothy Pitkin; brothers-in-law, Virgil Pitkin and Orvin Vaage; and sister-in-law, Rahma Baker.

Donald’s family wishes to thank the staff at Rockwell Community Nursing Home for the loving care he received the past several months.

In lieu of flowers, family welcomes memorial contributions to the Awana Program at the Mason City Grace Evangelical Free Church, 440 N. Illinois Ave., Mason City, IA 50401.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St. , Clear Lake, Iowa 50428,641-357-2193.www.colonialchapels.com