Douglas Baker

Our precious husband, father, brother and grandfather left us on March 15, 2022.
He was an adventurer, a lover of fun with an incredible sense of humor, but also enjoyed
a generosity of spirit.

He was born in Kansas City, MO on February 11, 1945 to Arline Hall and Floyd G. Baker.
His father left before Doug was born, thus giving him great responsibilities throughout his life.
He was a kid who loved to explore the woods or by the river leading his friends on daily adventures.
They would collect pop bottles and if they got enough, they could buy a bottle of pop or a candy bar to share for lunch. These adventure trips usually lasted all day. One day, he was spanked because he had led his sister and other neighborhood kids on a day long adventure by the Little Blue River. He couldn’t understand why his mom was upset, after all, everyone knew if you followed the river up, you could follow it back home. He loved playing football for Center High School and started mowing yards at age 9 and had his own charge account at the local department store at age 12. He was very responsible at a young age, helping his mother by giving her money from his paycheck and taking his sister on the bus every week to get her treatment for Polio.

Doug had two major turning points in his life, the first was joining the Navy in 1964. In the Navy,
he was a member of the Underwater Demolitions Team, diving into the water and blowing up bridges
and boats during the Vietnam war. He would also tramp through the jungle rescuing downed
servicemen. Doug was honorably discharged in 1968. Some of the more difficult life events for Doug, happened as a result of this war and he returned home with a severe case of PTSD, which was
undiagnosed at that time, like it was for many servicemen of that war. After Vietnam, he spent a couple of years roaming around the country, coming to terms with his PTSD and returned to Kansas City, MO

After working a variety of jobs with Kansas City Power and Light, TWA, Fairyland Park Swimming
Pool, Fairyland Park Drive-in and Armco Steel, the second turning point for Doug would be his schooling and graduation from the Electronics Institute in Kansas City, MO. This education would provide the foundation for jobs with upward mobility for the rest of his life. Graduating from the Electronics Institute meant “10.2 and a car.” His first professional job was at Union Carbide, and then on to Physio-Control. For some years, he owned his own business, Creative Medical System, Inc. Doug always received awards wherever he worked, because his work ethic was beyond reproach! In about 1985, Doug began work for Abbott Laboratories serving fifteen years, as a Field Service Engineer with the Abbott Diagnostics Division. In 1989, Doug was honored as the Regional FSE of the year, as well as the 1992 Quest Excellence Winner. Doug retired from Abbott Labs in 2000.

His years of service to others began with helping family and friends with home repair issues,
serving on several occasions with Connection Point Church on their mission trips to rehab homes in New Orleans and surrounding areas after Hurricane Katrina. He purchased meals on several occasions for the staff and faculty of the Bridges program in KCK, because his wife was a faculty member at the school. He was a kidney donor in 2003, giving his friend another eight years of life. At random times
throughout the years, Doug would purchase meals anonymously for families at restaurants. He also
donated funds monthly to City Union Mission and Wounded Warriors, because he remembered the
struggles he had experienced when crossing the country with his PTSD. At the age of 70, Doug made a tandem parachute jump from an airplane.

Doug was a man of adventure. He traveled many places with his work, including London and
China. Through the military, Doug saw Japan, the Philippines, as well as Vietnam. He traveled widely in the United States, for work and pleasure. Doug climbed nine fourteeners in Colorado, he rode Enduro races, he was an expert water skier and loved to share that joy with others. He rode his Harley to Sturgis for a once in a lifetime experience! He ran marathons, as well as running daily for many years, until his knees would not allow him that joy. Doug loved living life and experiencing the many physical aspects such as working out and training with his beloved trainer/friend, Angie.

Doug leaves behind a wife, Lynne, who adored him. She called him her “knight in shining
armor” and he would say, he was “a knight in rusty armor”. We found a magical marriage later in life.
He also leaves two sons, the oldest, Dean Baker and wife, Julie (Buckner) their children, Clayton (CA),
Kyle (Buckner), Leslie (Jon Brice) (Odessa) and Cody (fiancé, Crystal) (Buckner). His youngest son, Darrell Baker and his wife, Mia (Deepwater) and their children, Misty (Kevin Conquest) (FL), DA (Ali
Baker) (Odessa), Jessy (fiancé, Cody Blevins) (Buckner), Eric McBee (Kyla) (Freeman) and Aaron Willett (Freeman) (finance, DeAnna Miller). Doug also had a profound influence on Lynne’s children, Alycia Wiley (KS) and Ben Barnes (Corey) (AZ). He also leaves behind his only sister, Karen Douglas (Liberty), as well as his sister-in-law, Nancy Wallingford (Kansas City). He was preceded in death by his mother, Arline Douglas and his mother-in-law, Mina Stuver. He also delighted in his time as a great grandfather to Halley, Breslin and Irelyn Brice, Nevik Conquest, Delayna Baker and Hailey McBee, as well as Alycia’s children, Gideon and Isaiah Wiley.

The loss of a member of your family is a shared experience with many friends, neighbors and
strangers as well. Thank you to our many friends who have reached out to us, to provide unbelievable support. Thank you to Tom and the staff at the Independence Chamber of Commerce, as well as Dr. Hurl, Bryan Hoover and Aaron Smith and faculty members of the Independence School District, past and present, who have been so kind to extend their support to our family. Thank you to Suzanne and the Advancement Team at Columbia College, Rev. Dr. Brad Staggs, Chairman of the CC Board, as well as President David Russell and his wife, Lee and fellow Board of Trustee members at Columbia College.

The encouragement of my JSL sisters, as well as my church family at Connection Point Church, have all voiced their thoughtful kindness over these last days. I am also very thankful for the wonderful care Doug received at Centerpoint Medical Center, especially from the nurses of the Seventh and Sixth Floors: Hailey, Taylor, Jenna, Carroll, and Laura C., as well as Dr. Eshetu, Dr. Chandler and Dr. Copeland and Bret Kolman, CEO, as well as many others. Thank you to the VA Medical Center, for providing Doug with many years of fine medical care! I am also very appreciative of the kindness and care we have received from our neighbors in Remington Villas.

Doug lived a wonderful, thrilling and exciting life…until the end of his days. I am so
honored and grateful that it was my opportunity to share the last thirty plus years with him. He
changed the lives of our family and we are so thankful he came to us!