Donald Steadman Baker was born in Columbus, Indiana, on February 19, 1938, from the marriage of Iris Ann Pearce and Donald Chenoweth Baker and passed on in death at his home in Kerrville, Texas on January 20, 2024.

The parents, Donald (nicknamed ''Ted'' by his mother), and his younger sister, Katherine Ann, moved and settled in the Crown Point/Pacific Beach area of San Diego, a risky move considering the Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbor and the West Coast was reported to be their next target. Managing risk-taking became part of Ted's heritage. Later, in 1945, Ted's brother Johnnie joined the family.

Ted graduated from La Jolla High School in June 1955, and two weeks later entered the US Military Academy at West Point with the Class of 1959, graduating in the middle of his class of 500, four years later. Along with six other members of his class, he took his commission in the US Marine Corps. Along the way, he fathered three amazing and supportive children - Anthony, Timothy, and Alison. He left the Marines as a Major, and retired from a career as a Hospital Engineer with the Veteran's Administration in 1994. It was there that he met and married his ''soulmate'' Teresa Lynn Lowe, on August 30, 1980.

After some time on their small farm in Kingston, Ohio, and following Teresa's retirement, the Bakers moved to another small farm in Kerrville, Texas. They both pursued their passion for art, painting and operating their gallery, Fine Art Life, on the old Ingram loop while converting to Catholicism. Both were formed as Spiritual Directors in the Catholic and Ignatian Spirituality traditions. Both served St. Peter Upon the Water, a formation center for spiritual direction, as staff (Teresa was co-director of the facility for a time) and as formation team members.

Ted was stricken with bladder cancer in 2019, which metastasized to his lungs and finally to his brain. But he was able to develop a ministry proclaiming the value of the virtues with brief video reflections as a way to believing in the goodness of God. A copy listing the YouTube links to these videos will be available at the funeral Mass as his legacy.

Ted was preceded in death by his father and mother, Donald and Iris; his sister, Katherine; and brother, Johnnie.

Survivors include his wife, Teresa; children, Tony, Tim, and Alison; and 9 grandchildren.

A Rosary will be prayed 9:30 am, Monday, January 29, 2024, prior to the funeral mass at Notre Dame Catholic Church which will be held at 10 am, with Bishop Michael Boulette presiding. Burial will follow at the St. Mary's Catholic Church cemetery in Fredericksburg, Texas.

The Bakers particularly want to express their gratitude for the compassionate care and guidance of Dr. Rebecca Barrington as well as Dena, Laura, Jannette and all the nursing staff at the Kerrville Texas Oncology Clinic. Truly awesome ministers.

If you consider memorial contributions, please forward to St. Peter Upon the Water, PO Box 509, Ingram, Texas, 78025.