• Visitation
  • Tuesday, March 25, from 12/noon – 2pm at Oklahoma Ave. Lutheran Church (5355 W. Oklahoma Ave. Milwaukee)
• Funeral Service
  • Tuesday, March 25, starting at 2pm at Oklahoma Ave. Lutheran Church (5355 W. Oklahoma Ave. Milwaukee)

Don Baker

Donald J. Baker, 88, of New Berlin, WI, passed away peacefully on March 17, 2025. Don was the devoted and loving husband of Ellen (Scharping) Baker, his best friend and partner for 65 years. He was a cherished father to Lisa Drost (John Kuehlmann), Mark (Susan) Baker, and Susan (Scott) Gruenberg, and a proud grandfather to Cassandra (Dan) Leonhardt, Brittany Gruenberg (Josh Frankie), Tyler Gruenberg, Aaron (Hannah) Drost, Josh (Katy) Baker, and Amber (Ryan) Bender. Don was also a beloved great-grandfather to Braydon and Reid Leonhardt, and Eden Baker. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Joanne Fairchild, as well as numerous cousins, extended family, and friends who will deeply miss his warmth, humor, and kind spirit.

Born on June 23, 1936, in Milwaukee, to Joseph and Hazel (Jastrow) Baker, Don graduated from Bay View High School in 1954. He worked for Wisconsin Bell for 39 years and was a proud member of the CWA Union RMO and the Telephone Pioneers. Don found joy in the simple pleasures of life. He enjoyed hunting and fishing at his beloved home away from home, their property on Lake Mary. He was also a skilled woodworker with a deep love for working with his hands. His resourcefulness was unmatched, always finding new purposes for old things and actively seeking to recycle and reuse. A true lover of bargains, he had a keen eye for a good deal and was known to be a collector of all sorts of treasures.

A visitation and funeral service will be held at Oklahoma Avenue Lutheran Church, 5355 W. Oklahoma Ave. on Tuesday, March 25. Visitation will start at 12/noon and the service will begin at 2pm. Memorials in Don’s name can be made to Oklahoma Avenue Lutheran Church or the charity of your choice. Don’s memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.