Donald R. Baker

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

Private graveside services were held in the Clear Lake Cemetery.

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

Donald married Mildred Mary Meter on Feb. 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 Oct. 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, and Julia (Jacob) Hansen, of Denver, Colo.; and three great-grandchildren, Andrew and Lily Baker, of Rockwell, and Eloise Hansen, of Denver; 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 Marie; 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 Communtiy 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, Iowa, 50401.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.