To the Baack Family My condolences Prof. Baack was tough yet fair.  I had him for 3 of my Economics Courses  Pubic Choice Agenda  Control and Econ History  Log Rolling some of his favorite.  The exams could leave one on edge final @ 70%  But stayed after class willing to explain. Some were straight forward other Woah The white Beard Blonde hair the Pipe Smoke. The Starched jeans Suspenders and Black motorcycle boots. A True charaacter Liked to talk about the North and South More specifically the Northwest 
~GREGORY

As a child, growing up in the family with Uncle Ben, he always seemed larger than life to me. 
His presence was always warm and welcoming. 
I will fondly remember his bushy beard, the smell of his pipe, his suspenders, the cowboy boots, his enormous laugh that would fill the room. 
He gave the best hugs. 
He was the greatest story teller. 
If you were lucky enough to be around when he told a story, you hung on his every word. 
I will miss him dearly. 
I’m sorry I didn’t spend more time visiting. 
I love you all so much. 

Susan and I are so, so sorry that Ben has passed. Though it’s been fifty-five years or so since he and I first shared one of those tiny, windowless offices that TAs were given and we saw each other only every few years for the last fifty, Ben was still a close friend. You and Susan can vouch that even after a lapse of a few years, the conversation was off and running in less than thirty seconds and there were so many things to talk about. Economics, history, politics, farming, growing up in a small town, family---always, with Ben, family. You, Tasha and Jeremy and his father and mother were so important to him.
 
I envied Ben’s ability to immerse himself in his research. Econ History requires a fair measure of dogged determination in pursuit of data or proxies for data, but it always seemed to be pure pleasure for Ben. He loved digging for the evidence to help him understand and answer a question. The academic profession was ideal for him, since it meant he got paid for doing exactly what he wanted to do. And students to enlighten—the icing on the cake.
  
Some of our favorite travel memories are with you and Ben—Gettysburg where Ben was truly in his element, Ben herding the motor home down Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, sand flies at the Great Salt Lake, watching the tidal bore on a video in a stranger’s motor home after we arrived too late for the real thing, driving down from Yosemite with almost no brakes, being stranded at a garbage dump in Nova Scotia when the motor home conked out, checking into a Las Vegas hotel with grocery sacks substituting for luggage when the heat drove us indoors, and so many more memories. We’re sad that there won’t be more trips together.

I am crushed by loosing my friend Ben.  Becoming friends in 1963, as dormitory mates at the U of I.  Exploring the dark world of the underground steam tunnels (exciting stuff).  Since then, we played in: Washington, California, England, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Ohio, Alaska, Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee.  Fortunately, we played under the watchful eye and guiding hand of Vicki, super wife and tolerant guardian.  What a trio!  So, I am very sad my friend and playmate is gone but I will be eternally grateful for the many wonderful times we shared.
Marvin Kipp (Marvie)

Ben taught Economic History of the United States, which I took during my senior year at OSU. It was one of the best classes I ever took, because he was such a fantastic teacher. In addition to his amazing knowledge of both Econ and History, he was a friendly, funny, and helpful teacher.  I learned a huge amount from him.

In later years, when I was working as a staff member in Economics, Ben was always great to talk to for the same combination of intelligence, humor, and friendliness that made him such a wonderful teacher. He will be greatly missed. 

Ben shared an office with Don Parsons and me in Hagerty Hall at Ohio State University in 1970 and again in 1971. We all started there together. On the positive side, I think I convinced Ben not to get a motorcycle because of winter rain and ice in Columbus. On the negative side, I got Ben and Don to chip in to buy an $80  kit to construct a 16 foot fiberglass canoe, which the three of us put together in my driveway. With spouses cheering us on we launched it on the Scioto River. Ben remembered at the last second that he could not swim so Don and I got in the canoe with boards for paddles. We were smart enough to tie a rope to the canoe but in his excitement Ben let go of the rope. We managed to get to shore with the canoe only half full of water. Again, on the positive side, Ben and I wrote and published several economic history papers together that were published in professional journals. He was so special to me.  Ed Ray

OBITUARY

Bennett Dean Baack

November 13, 1942 – June 30, 2022

Schoedinger Northwest

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