Baker, James Hugus
James Hugus Baker, 89, of Springfield, Ohio, passed away peacefully on February 2, 2022, in Forest Glen
Health Campus. He was born on August 12, 1932 in Springfield, the son of
James I. and Clara (Phelps)
Baker. He is a graduate of
Hun Preparatory School in Princeton, New Jersey; attended the Babson Institute of Business in Boston, Massachusetts; and received the B.A. degree in Business Administration from Wittenberg University, in Springfield, Ohio. James
H. Baker started his career with Ringling Brother, Barnum & Bailey Circus at the age of 16 and eventually worked in Operations and
Transportation during summer months while off from school. He gained expertise in Logistics and Railroad
Operations as well as managing canvass and circus operations. Mr. Baker was
Executive Assistant to Ray
Bliss, Chairman, Ohio State
Republican Party as well as the Republican National
Committee 1960-1969.
He also served as Asst.
Ohio State Treasurer during 1970-72. Mr. Baker served as Director of Operations for the Republican National
Conventions in 1968, ‘72, 76, ’80, ’88, and ’92. In 1996, 2000, and 2004 he was Director of Logistics and Operations. He served as Vice Chairman of the
Presidential Inaugural
Committee in charge of construction of the parade route, the White House
Reviewing Stand and the
National Media Reviewing
Stand. 2001 found him as
Director of Parade Construction Operations. Mr.
Baker served as Director of
Operations and Scheduling for the American Freedom
Train from 1974-1976. He facilitated building the train as well as serving in this capacity for the entire 48 state, 22,000-mile Bi-centennial celebration of the founding of the United
States of America. As
President of JHB Enterprises, Mr. Baker provided government relations services to Fortune 500
Companies throughout the
United States in addition to providing event planning, operations and logistical management services to a variety of public and private sector clients. He served as Conference Director for the Republican Governors
Conferences from 1969 to 2004. Mr. Baker served as
Vice-chairman of the Presidential Committee in 1981, 1985, 1989, and 2000.
Mr. Baker was a long-time member of Covenant Presbyterian Church. He was a life-time member of The
Association of Ohio Commodores, Inc. He served three terms (nine years) on the Clark County Historical
Society Board of Directors the Grand Opening of the
Heritage Center event in 2001. Survivors include his nephews, Paul Derrick (Edie) Young of Springfield,
William (Colleen) Young of
Huntsville, AL and James (Cheryl) Young of Tampa,
FL; nieces, Jennifer Young
Battle of Jacksonville, NC,
Barbara Baker (Robin) Cook of Lexington, KY and Sarah
Baker of Cincinnati, OH. He is also survived by numerous great nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents
James I. Baker and Clara
Phelps Baker, twin sister
Dorothea Baker Young, and brother Peter B. Baker. Mr.
Baker greatly enjoyed time with family, managing and taking care of the family farm as well as his annual trip to Sarasota, Fl. He took the same pleasure in farm upkeep and painting gates as he did regarding
National Projects. Memorial contributions can be made in Mr. Baker’s memory to
The Clark County Historical
Society/heritage Center in
Springfield or the Ringling
Circus Museum in Sarasota, FL. Services to honor
Jim will be Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 1:30PM in the RICHARDS, RAFF & DUNBAR MEMORIAL
HOME. Visitation will begin at Noon. Burial to follow at
Ferncliff Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.richardsraffanddunbar.com.