Douglas Harold Baker

      To Douglas Harold Baker, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Douglas, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Douglas really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

      Douglas was born on February 25, 1948 at Tillsonburg Hospital, Tillsonburg, Ontario in Tillsonburg, Ontario. His parents were Harold and Grace Baker. Douglas was raised in Tillsonburg and Cambridge Ontario. Even as a child, Douglas had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

      Always a good playmate, Douglas was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Douglas managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Douglas was raised with five siblings. He had two brothers: Gary and Brad and three sisters: Patricia, Sharon and Janet.

      The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Douglas very easy to approach. On October 23, 1971 Douglas exchanged wedding vows with Mary O'Brien at St. Gregory's Roman Catholic Parish of Cambridge, Ontario. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

      Perhaps the reason Douglas related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Douglas was blessed with one child, a son, Justin. They were also blessed with two grandchildren, Landen and Kayden. Douglas had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Douglas's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Douglas had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

      At work, as in life, Douglas was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Douglas liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Douglas was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Douglas's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Douglas as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was as a plant supervisor. He was employed for 20+ years at Shur-Way Containers.

      Douglas enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Douglas liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were his old car, 1985 Oldsmobile 442. Douglas was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

      Living life in the fast lane suited Douglas just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Florida with family and Newfoundland.

      Douglas was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Douglas's favorites was Mitzie, a Shih-Tzu. They were best friends for 10 years.

      Douglas believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2003, Douglas took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Douglas remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in spending time with his family. Even in retirement, Douglas continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

      Douglas passed away on November 23, 2014 at Lisaard House, Cambridge Ontario. Fought a year long battle of cancer and congestive heart failure. He is survived by his wife Mary, son Justin and two grandchildren Landen and Kayden, as well as his brother Gary (Gail), Brad (Carol) and sisters Patricia (Bob), Sharon and Janet (Dave). Services were held at Coutts Funeral Home. Douglas was laid to rest in Parklawn Cemetery, Cambridge Ontario.

      Douglas brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Douglas Harold Baker lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

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Passed away on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at Lisaard House in his 67th year.

Cherished husband to Mary nee O’Brien of 43 wonderful years. Loving dad to Justin (Tawnya) and proud grandpa to Landen and Kayden. Dear brother to Gary (Gail), Bradley (Carol), Patricia (Bob) McCandless and Sharon, honourary sister Janet (Dave) Way and brother-in-law to Betty (Fergie) Mels, step-son to Shirley Baker. Predeceased by parents Harold and Grace Baker. Douglas will be forever remembered by his many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 27, 2014 at Coutts Funeral Home, 96 St. Andrews Street, Cambridge (519-621-1650) from 2-4 and 7-9 pm. A Funeral Service will take place on Friday, November 28th, 2014 at 11 am at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations made to the Lisaard House would be greatly appreciated.

Special thank you to Dr. Evans and the Medical Daycare staff at Cambridge Memorial Hospital, as well as the staff of Lisaard House for the compassionate care shown toward Douglas.