of Warwick passed away on November 23, 2008 at home. He was 92 years old.
Born on October 9, 1916 in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, he was the son of Henry and Geneva Brentlinger Baker.
As a young man, Baker became an accomplished musician and was a member of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, the top country and western band of the 30’s and 40’s.
Baker served with the US Army during World War II and the Korean Conflict. He was a graduate of the US Army Language School at the Presidio, Monterey, California, where he studied Japanese language and culture as training for becoming an interpreter. However, he returned to the Far East Network in Tokyo where he voiced the immensely popular series “Stories of Japan.”
He received a commendation and was decorated for having generated enormous good will between the Japanese people and the United States Army of occupation. Also during that time, the Johnny Baker Combo became well-known in the Tokyo night club scene and included Japanese, as well as American musicians.
He spent his last year in the Army working at the Pentagon as producer of the Army Hour. He retired with 21 years of service.
Baker spent 19 years as Studio Manager for Radio Liberty Network in New York City, which broadcast messages of hope and freedom to the people behind the Iron Curtain.
After moving to Warwick in 1977, he had a radio show, Baker’s Bandstand, on WTBQ.
Johnny Baker was dearly loved by his family and friends. We will miss him with all our hearts.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Stella (nee Zacharczuk) Baker of Warwick; a son, Robert Baker of Houston, Texas; a daughter, Mary Ellen Jockle and her husband James Joseph of Warwick; his grandchildren: Teresa Rehm and her husband Todd of Santa Fe, TX, Robert William Baker of Houston, TX, James William Jockle of Warwick, and Joseph Henry Jockle of Warwick. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren Courtney Rehm, Brandon Rehn, Britney Dollar and her husband Michael, and Patricia Rehm, He was predeceased by a son, John William Baker, and a daughter-in-law, Barbara Baker.
Visitation will be on Friday, November 28, from 2-4 & 7-9 pm at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick. Funeral service will be at 10:00 am on Saturday at Warwick Reformed Church. Interment will follow in Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Hamptonburgh.
Memorial donations may be sent to Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry, 135 Forester Ave., Warwick, NY 10990 or Warwick Valley Humane Society, PO Box 61, Warwick, NY 10990.