DONALD LEON BAKER
January 14, 1941 - September 28, 2020
On Monday, September 28, 2020, Donald Leon Baker, loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and Grampie, lost his battle with cancer, at the age of 79. He was surrounded by family and friends who loved him dearly.
Don was born on January 14, 1941 in Bakersfield, California to Frank and Ruth Baker. He attended Greenfield Elementary and Middle schools. He graduated from Bakersfield High School in 1959. Don gave 38 years of service to California Water and retired from there in 2001. On May 29, 1968, he married Stephanie Palmer. Together, they raised four children, Scott, Lora, Christopher, and Melissa.
Don loved the outdoors and enjoyed countless hunting, fishing, and camping trips with family and good friends. He and Stephanie spent the majority of their retirement years camping in numerous areas of mostly California. Don enjoyed cooking and was often recruited to supply a hefty batch of his famous chili beans, macaroni salad, or salsa at family and friendly gatherings. Don was passionate about baseball and his L.A. Dodgers. His only greater passion was watching his son and grandson both play BHS Driller and BC Renegade baseball. His love of the game began at the age of 7, playing hardball in little league. Eventually that love grew into fast pitch softball, where he dominated the pitching mound with his knuckle ball and played in countless tournaments all over California for more than 40 years. Many special friendships were formed on the softball diamonds over the years, and those friends were like family to Don. If you were a friend of Don’s, he treated you like family, and many treated their friendship with him the same way. Don was also proud to play alongside his son Chris for several years before retiring from softball at the age of 60.
Don had an infectious personality. People from all generations and many walks of life were drawn to his easygoing lifestyle. He had a kind, quiet, and compassionate spirit, but he was better known for his silly and quick wit, and even better known for haggling umpires or for his banter from the stands, all the while gaining fellow fans’ affection with his fittingly accurate calls of the game.
Don is survived by his wife Stephanie, his four children, Scott, Lora (David Nelson), Chris, and Missy (Bill Bila), ten grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, his sister Patsy Eyraud, his four nephews and their families, his brotherly best friend, Mel Byrd, his “adopted” daughter, Terri Pittser, and his beloved dog, Lupe. Don was preceded in death by his father Frank and mother Ruth, his brother-in-law, Eddie Eyraud, and his brotherly lifelong friend, Richard Fowler.
A socially distanced celebration of life will be held at 1801 Mystic Meadows St., in Bakersfield on Saturday, October 10th from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. Don’s idea of a dress shirt was a Hawaiian shirt, so wear one in his honor. Or honor his love of Dodger baseball and wear your favorite Dodger or blue gear.