Louis Solomon Baron

Our beloved father, Louis S. Baron, formerly from the Washington D.C. area passed away Saturday, September 18, 2021 in Sarasota, Florida. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Lou grew up in Sea Cliff, Long Island. He was the youngest child of Jacob and Esther Baron and the only one of five children to be born in America on January 23, 1923.The other siblings were born in Belarus, Russia. Lou graduated from Sea Cliff High School where he played the drums for the school band and the local fire station. Being an avid athlete, Lou was also on the Sea Cliff High School baseball team where he played first and third base and ran track. Sports was not only Lou’s high school accomplishments, he entered the Campbell’s Soup poetry contest and won. In Lou’s senior year he saw an advertisement for an opportunity to learn sheet metaling and machine calibration. So, after school, in the evening, Lou walked over a mile to go to a trade school and after a year he earned a certificate which allowed him to get a job at Grumman in New York. He said that there were lines of grown men who were married with children waiting for the opportunity to get a job at Grumman, but he got the job because he had earned a special certification . That lesson stayed with Lou which he in turn passed on to his children: hard work pays off. Lou was inducted into the Army Air Corps on January 11,1943. At first, he was sent to Eglin Field, Fort Walton Beach, Fl. There, he helped train the Tuskegee air men. And he also worked on the Doolittle planes. And due to his precision sheet metal experience with Grumman, he was assigned to repair aircrafts and calibrate guns and bombs. He was later shipped to the western Pacific as part of the armed services now known as the United States Air Force. Lou always spoke of the kindness he received from the Philippines and how appreciate they were of the American soldiers protecting their homeland. Upon separation with an Honorable Discharge on February 22, 1946, Lou was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War All Victory Metal and recognized in the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. and in the U.K. After leaving the service, Lou went to work with his brothers learning the grocery businesses as well as doing some boxing at Madison Square Garden. Lou loved baseball and had the opportunity to play in the Saint Louis Cardinal Organization. One day a relative called Lou and said he wanted to introduce him to a young woman. Lou went to the relative’s house and met the girl. Later, the relative asked Lou how the meeting turned out. Lou surprised the relative by asking for the girl’s friend’s phone number who happened to be at the house the same time. Six months later, Louis S. Baron married the beautiful Rebecca Rachel Friedman the friend’s friend. It had been love at first sight for them both. The two were inseparable and taught others the meaning of a what a true partnership means in a marriage. They were both devoted to each other and respected and loved each other. They called each other Hon and to their children they were known as “Hon” and “Hon.” After the wedding, they moved to Washington, D.C. where Lou open Baron’s Friendly Grocery. After selling this business, Lou bought a larger grocery store which he named Royal Farms Food Store which was located on Water Street in N.W. Washington. He later sold this business and bought a catering business and renamed it Barons Gourmet Deli at 2643 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. Many diplomates, journalists, politicians, celebrates, Presidents, radio and T.V. personalities came to eat and chat with the Baron and his Baroness as they both always worked together as a partnership. Lou and Rae (the Baron and his Baroness) were able to travel the world and enjoy leisure time. Lou enjoyed the Senior Centers in Silver Spring, Maryland as well as Sarasota, FL. There he was known for his lovely baritone voice, dancing and his love of Big Band Music and Frank Sinatra. He was quite an entertainer himself, and very charming and most important he was very uplifting. Lou was fluent in English as well as Yiddish. He was loved wherever he went. People would run up to him and say, “Lou is that you? Then they would throw their arms around him and hug and kiss him. All that knew him thought he was a wonderful man and he was well respected. Louis Baron will be so very much missed by his children, and all those that had the pleasure of meeting him and knowing him. He leaves his son Jack Baron from North Lauderdale, Fl., his daughter, Deborah Levine (Richard Levine) of Sarasota, Fl., son Lyndon Baron (Maryjane Baron) of Old Town Alexandria, Va., daughter Jill Rutenberg (Jack Rutenberg) Parkland, Fl., Granddaughters Jacquelyn Levin(David Levin) of Bradenton, FL., Alexandra Levine of Sarasota, FL., Grandsons Joshua of Old Town Alexandria, Va., Jeremy Rutenberg of Parkland , Fl. and great grandchildren, Madeleine Rebecca Levin, Sebastien Braun Levin and Faelynn Rose Levin all of Bradenton, Fl. Louis Baron will now be returning to his “Hon” as she has been patiently waiting for him and they have much to catch up on. May the good lord (Hashem) grant peace to both in eternity. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you please consider donating to a veterans group such as Wounded Warriors or the AFA (Airforce Association) in honor of Mr. Baron.