Donald E. Baker Jr.

Feb. 27, 1919-July 8, 2005

Donald Earl Baker Jr., 86, of Lehigh Acres, Florida, passed away on Friday, July 8, 2005. He was born in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Indiana, on February 27, 1919.

In 1935 he was among the youngest to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Central High School in South Bend with the class of 1937. Don enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 11,1 941 , and served as an aviation machinist's mate and also performed 1800 hours on PBYs out of Jacksonville, Florida, and graduated from Aviation, Construction, Ordinance, Radio and Navigation (ACORN) School. After returning to South Bend after the end of World War II, Donald Joined his father and brother-in-law as secretary-treasurer in their business, Baker-Ward Refrigeration (now known as Perficold), and was awarded top salesman of the year from the Hussman Corporation in 1956.

He and his wife of 62 years, Irene Jurek Baker, were members of the Elks Club, St. Matthew Cathedral, and they were avid golfers. They moved to Lehigh Acres, Florida, in August 2000. In addition to his wife, Don is survived by their daughter, Donna Baker of Tempe, Arizona; granddaughter, Paige Tuhey of San Francisco, California, and Eve Steed with her husband, Donald of Los Gatos, California; and greatgrandchildren, Spencer and Ruby Steed. He leaves behind his sister, Frances Baker Ward, and many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 14, 2005, in ST. JOSEPH FUNERAL HOME, 1827 E. Ireland Road, and will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 15, 2005, in St. Matthew Cathedral. Burial will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola, Indiana.

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and FindAGrave.com

09/23/2025 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112240926/donald-e.-baker