Obituary of John S. Baker

WARRENSBURG:  John Sandy Baker, 76, of Warrensburg, NY, passed away on December 20, 2024, at Glens Falls Hospital. His passing occurred on the same date as that of his dear friend and coworker, Rusty Duell, who passed four years earlier.

John was born on January 13, 1948, in Glens Falls, NY, to the late Kenneth and Francis (Cameron) Baker. He grew up in Thurman and attended Warrensburg Central School, though he left school early to work in the woods. John began his career as a logger but transitioned to working for the NYS Department of Transportation in his twenties. Over the years, he alternated between logging and construction, but a tragic incident marked the end of his logging days. After losing his brother Roger, who was killed in a logging accident at the age of 35, John could no longer continue in the job, as the haunting memory of that day stayed with him.

John later focused on construction work, but his career took another turn after a devastating explosion while working on the Town of Warrensburg water tower with four colleagues—Tom, Skyler, Kirby, and Duff. The blast injured them all and left John with a broken back in two places, requiring surgery and leading to years of relentless pain.

Despite these hardships, John supported his wife Heidi in starting her business, Heidi’s Clip Joint, and for over 35 years, he worked for Peckham Industries. At Peckham, John became the company’s oldest subcontractor. Known for his humor and high spirits, John had a knack for keeping his coworkers geared up and motivated, ensuring they were entertained and laughing, which made every workday more enjoyable.

John’s two favorite pastimes were stirring things up and making life fun for everyone around him. His favorite places to 'stir the pot' were with the crew at Peckham’s and at our local Higgins Sales and Service, where he found endless laughter and joy.

John was an average humble, hardworking man who believed in loving one another, helping others, and taking care of his family—and he lived those values every day. While we weren’t the Rockefellers, John worked tirelessly to provide for us and make sure we could enjoy the things that mattered most. He was the rock of our family, someone we could always count on, no matter what. Despite enduring countless surgeries and enduring great pain, he never complained. His greatest joy was loving us, and that love was his ultimate priority and source of happiness.

Besides his parents, John was predeceased by brothers Eugene, Roger and David Baker. 

Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of 44 years, Heidi (Bennett) Baker; his son, Shane Cameron Baker; his grandchildren, Shane Thomas Baker and Masyn Adam Baker; and his step-grandson, Noah Brown. Also holding John in their hearts are his sister, Kathey (Joe) Bentley; his brother-in-law and “brother”, Tom (Dawn) Bennett; brother-in-law John Bennett; and sister-in-law Jillane (Terry) Duell. He is also remembered fondly by several nieces, nephews, cousins—including his very close cousin, Donnie Stone—and, of course, his best four-legged companions, Nicka Do, Missy, and Bella Boo.

John’s family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Dave Judkins for always being there, the team at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center, including Dr. Gillani and Dr. Zagar, and Dr. Adamo at Albany Medical Center. Special thanks to Receptionists Honey and Terry, and Kylie Schaldone for all the help with preparations. Gloria Bennett, we deeply appreciate everything you did for us. Thank you, Mike Morrison, for giving John one of the most cherished gifts he ever received. And to our cousin Jason Hull, thank you for the thoughtful memory stickers.

Pallbearers include Tom ‘Tom’ Bennett, John ‘John’ Bennett, Dino Allmon, Buffer Stone, Woody Duell, and Sport Morgan. Honorary bearers are T-Bone Morrison, Justin 'Time' Duell, Big J Dingman, Soger Lemieux, and John 'Y-All' Kollman, along with Junior Honorary Bearers Oddie Dingman and Tommy Linsey.

Friends are invited to visit with John’s family on Saturday, December 28, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Alexander Funeral Home, 3809 Main Street, Warrensburg, NY. A funeral service will follow at 2:00 PM. Immediately after the service, a Celebration of Life will be held at the Warrensburg VFW.

Burial will be held Monday, December 30, 2024, 10am at the Warrensburg Cemetery, Hudson Street, Warrensburg, NY.

“Make sure to play all the sad songs, so there isn’t a dry eye in the place!” - John

Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online condolences, guest book and directions.