Donald Lee Baker
1947 – 2021
Our beloved Dad and PawPaw, Donald Lee Baker, 74, of Edmond, Oklahoma, passed away at home on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, surrounded by his children and his sweet chihuahua, Sophie, after a brave yet brief battle with metastatic cancer.
Don was born in Edmond, Oklahoma on October 9, 1947, to Glenn Emory Baker and Marjorie Naomi Dunn Baker. Donald and his twin brother, Ronald, were the first set of twins born at the original Edmond hospital above the Broncho Theatre in downtown Edmond. After graduating from Edmond High School in 1965, Don completed Southwest Institute’s Drafting and Design Program in Oklahoma City in 1966.
Don was drafted into the U.S. Army on November 29, 1966. He served in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade during the Vietnam War as an Artillery Fire Direction Control Specialist until he was wounded in combat and was awarded the Purple Heart medal. In the 1990’s, he served as OKC Chapter Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart for two 5-year terms.
After being discharged from the Army in 1968, Don started working for the City of Edmond as a Draftsman. He also attended Central State University in Edmond and graduated from CSU with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He then became a Building Inspector/Certified Building Official for the City of Edmond. Don retired from the City of Edmond in February 2009 following almost 40 years of work as a public servant. Even beyond retirement, he volunteered hundreds of hours to help provide building inspectors across Oklahoma with continuing education.
Don was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church of Edmond, joining in August 1964 just prior to his Senior year of high school. He was a volunteer Stephen Minister, a former Disciple Bible Study student and teacher, and participated in both domestic and foreign V.I.M. teams. Don served on a variety of church committees and was a founding member of the Bridge Builders Class.
During his lifetime, Don was recognized for donating a lot of blood and blood products to the Oklahoma Blood Institute. He was a member of many worthwhile organizations throughout his lifetime, including: Beginning Experience (B.E.), Edmond Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association (ECPAAA), Loners on Wheels (camping club), Patriot Guard Riders, and U.S. Spyder Ryders / Red Dirt Chapter.
Anyone who knew Don knew that he was the most loving father and grandfather a family could ask for. Don was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and older brother, Richard E. Baker. He is survived by his two children: son, Daniel W. Baker and wife, Vickie, of Kingfisher, OK, and daughter, Amy D. Baker of Guthrie, OK; three grandsons: Justin D. Baker of Cherokee, OK, Jacob J. Swafford of Edmond, OK, and Joseph “Joey” L. Baker of Guthrie, OK; great grandson, Atlas James Swafford, of Edmond, OK; twin brother, Ronald D. Baker and wife, Mary, of St. Albans, WV; as well as many treasured friends and relatives, too numerous to mention.
Services will be held at First United Methodist Church of Edmond, 305 E. Hurd Street, on January 8th, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Interment with full military honors will follow at Arcadia’s IOOF Cemetery, located one mile north of Route 66 on Westminster Road. The Patriot Guard Riders will escort our hero and those attending to his final resting place.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift in memory of Donald Baker to First United Methodist Church of Edmond.