Jackie Baker

Jackie (Jack) Merrick Baker, age 93, of Arlington, Virginia, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. He was born on July 11, 1932, in Magnetic Springs, Ohio, to the late Morley Cedric Baker and late LaVon Ida (Hull) Baker.

Jack joined the U.S. Army in 1950 and earned his GED in the U.S. Army. He served in the Korean War from 1950 to 1952. He returned stateside and met and married his first wife, the late Phylis Marlene (Disbennett) Baker Johnson in 1953. He served 20 years in the U.S. Army, the last year in Vietnam. He served at duty stations in North Carolina, Ohio, Hawaii, Kentucky, California, New Jersey, and Germany and raised four daughters with Phylis.

After retirement as a Sergeant First Class from the U.S. Army in 1970, Jack and Phylis returned to Ohio. They bought a farm in Ashley, Ohio, and later moved into town, bought the local mercantile company, and named it Baker’s. After their divorce, Jack bought a bar in Delaware, Ohio, and called it Jack’s Place. He later sold it, and it was renamed The Backstretch. After his divorce from Phylis, he married and divorced several times and had a son in 2003 with his last former wife. He moved to Arlington, Virginia, in June 2020 to live with one of his daughters.

He is survived by his four daughters: twins, Lavon Lyn Baker of Dublin, Ohio, and Eavon Lee Mobley of Arlington, Virginia; Leilani Sue (Mike) Viers of Sneads Ferry, North Carolina; Lorrie Ann (Dan) Traetow of Prospect, Ohio; and one son, Gabe Eugene (Oleana) Baker of Dublin, Ohio; six grandchildren: Amy, David, Adam, Andrew, Mathew, and Megan; and thirteen great-grandchildren: Natalie, Thaddeus, Titus, Gavon, Elisabeth, Ryan, Haven, Archer, Nina, Nash, Bladen, Camlyn, and Roczen.

Jack was preceded in death by his first wife, Phylis Marlene (Disbennett) Baker Johnson; a daughter, Johanna Ellen Baker; a granddaughter, Tiffiny Marie Stegner; and a great-granddaughter, Harlow Grace Viers.

Jack will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, with military honors. Graveside service is on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 9 a.m.

Memorial contributions may be made in Jack’s name to the Army Emergency Relief, 2530 Crystal Drive, Suite 13161, Arlington, Virginia 22202 (armyemergencyrelief.org).

Condolences may be expressed at the Murphy Funeral Home, Arlington, Virginia, website at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/.