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Pawleys Island John Leslie Baker, 93, died Saturday November 30, 2013, at his home at North Litchfield Beach. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia to parents George Erwin Baker, Jr. and Laura Parker Baker. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Baker; his children Jane Ann McEwen of Gainesville, FL and John D. Baker of High Point, NC; his grandchildren Douglas McEwen, Lehigh, FL and Josh McEwen, Lakeland, FL sister Emily Hileman, Melbourne, FL., and 15 great grandchildren. Previously deceased are his brother George Erwin Baker III of Louisville, KY and his sister Iris Francis Skaggs of Pompano Beach, FL. John had a lifelong interest in music and performance. His parents were accomplished musicians, so at an early age he sang on live radio broadcasts from Richmond accompanied by Laura on piano and Erwin on wind instruments. Later the family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina where he entered first grade. John was proud to say that in the first grade he was seated directly in front of his classmate and future broadcaster David Brinkley. After the family moved to Florence, SC. John was active in scouting and was one of the first in the country to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. Later in high school John moved to Stanford, KY to live with and care for his grandparents, who were disabled. During this time he actively performed in dance bands in the area, singing and playing clarinet and saxophone. After graduation from Stanford High School, he attended Cincinnati Conservatory of Music on a voice scholarship and managed a store in Middletown, Ohio for the Sherwin-Williams company. John was selected in the first military draft by the local draft board in Middletown and chose to enlist in the US Navy. In 1941 and 1942 he managed and performed in large US Navy-sponsored recruiting dances in the Great Lakes states featuring popular swing bands. In 1942 John volunteered for Naval Aviation and completed OCS at St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA. He then entered primary flight training at Pasco, WA where he was a cadet commander. During this time he met his future wife Mary Ann Martin at a mixer with co-eds from nearby Whitman College. John was involved in a tragic mid-air collision during night time formation training at Pasco, and having bailed out below regulation altitude, was sent back to the surface fleet. He was then attached to the South Pacific submarine service and worked as a procurement chief for the US submarine base in Brisbane, Australia. Later, as the sub bases moved north, he worked in the construction and operation of new bases in New Guinea and the Philippines. John and Mary Ann married in June, 1946 in Portland, Oregon. The couple then attended the University of Kentucky, Lexington. A family crisis returned the couple to Oregon later in 1946. John and Mary Ann then enrolled at the University of Oregon, where John received his BA in English Literature and his MA in Education in 1952. John next taught music at Laurelhurst School, Portland, Oregon for two years. During all this time in Oregon he worked part time in real estate sales, and after teaching for 2 years switched to real estate full time. He soon opened Town & Country Realty in Beaverton, Oregon and over the next 10 years was active as a builder, broker, and Realtor in Northwest Portland, developing several large subdivisions in Washington County. During this time he became a private pilot. In 1965 John closed his real estate business and turned to teaching high school English in the Dade County, Florida system. He taught at Miami Jackson High and South Dade High. In 1974, the family "retired" to North Litchfield Beach. John became active in real estate in the area, developing subdivisions in the Conway, SC area while spending as much time as possible saltwater fishing. John and Mary Ann vacationed around North America by car and travel trailer, and after retirement traveled extensively world-wide. They loved being a part of the community of Pawleys Island. They have treasured their all of their wonderful friends made at home and around the world. Services will be private. Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel, is in charge of the arrangements.

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John Baker

January 1, 1950 - November 30, 2013