Harold Robert Baker

Balboa Island and Palm Springs resident Harold Robert Baker was born in Weeping Water, Nebraska (GO HUSKERS!) on January 23, 1933 to Mary Gertrude Miller and Harold S. Baker. Hal’s Dad was a Methodist Minister who served in Valley, Mullen and Bassett, Nebraska. Hal grew up with cattle drives down Mullen’s Main Street, and graduated from Rock County High School with letters in four sports and captain of the football team.

Hal enlisted in the Army and completed Basic Training at Scofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii where he fell in love with the ocean. He served in Korea during the Korean War in the 25th Infantry Division, “Tropic Lightening” and settled in California upon his return.

Hal was a General Contractor who spent his career in architecture and construction and loved all things related to building. He could spend hours happily working out intricate technical solutions to construction problems. He worked on residential, university, hospital, and high rise office building projects both during design and documentation as well as administering construction in the field.

A lifelong athlete Hal ran in everything from 5K’s to Marathons. After his knees required him to give up running he switched to Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe racing and found a new love. Paddling with Newport Outrigger Club, he completed the Catalina to Newport Outrigger Race when he was 71 years old. Spending time at the beach, the desert and on his boat, and generally being physically active and outdoors were his favorite pastimes.

After Hurricane Katrina ravaged Mississippi, Hal made numerous trips to Gulfport to help with reconstruction of damaged homes, teaching construction as well as life skills to young people who worked alongside him. When not in Mississippi, Hal developed architectural designs and drawings for damaged churches in that area. He left a piece of his heart there as well.

We will all miss Hal’s sense of humor, his engaging smile and laugh, and his affectionate teasing. His faith had no bounds and never faltered, even while he conducted the mightiest battle of his life with cancer. Hal is survived by his beloved wife, best friend and soulmate Roberta Jorgensen Baker, daughter Jo Anne and husband Carl Hacker, son Robert Baker and wife Brenda, son Michael Warne and wife Carolyn, beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, sister Dorothy Jean Gardner, brother Cliff Baker, mother-in-law Helen Jorgensen, many nieces and nephews, and his four legged “kids”.

In Hal’s memory, donations may be made to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 600 St. Andrews Rd., Newport Beach, CA 92660, specify “Harold R. Baker Building Communities Fund”. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Andrew’s on May 18 at 3pm.