James Cameron Baker Jr., DDS passed away on October 30. 2022 at the Delaware Veterans Home from complications of Lewy Body Dementia. Born in Wilmington to the late James C. Baker Sr., DDS and Edith (Schmidt) Baker, Jim (as he preferred to be called outside of his dental practice) was a 1965 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School. He graduated from Bucknell University in 1969 where he was a member of the freshman swimming team and a brother of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He was a proud Bucknellian as evidenced by his Bucknell caps and jackets as well as the many Bison stickers his cars endured over the years.
Jim served in the US Army from 1969-1972 stationed mainly at Ft. Monmouth, NJ, where he was a Signal School instructor. After being honorably discharged, Jim decided to pursue a dental career which meant two years of summer and night school to recalibrate his business degree while working full time at various positions, including a quality control manager in New Brunswick, NJ and an iron worker in Dover, DE. He was joined in this venture by his wife Kathleen (Roble) Baker whom he met through a fraternity brother at the Jersey Shore in 1969. Their summer romance blossomed into a lifelong commitment when they married in 1972.
In 1978, Jim graduate from Temple University (now Kornberg) School of Dentistry, his father’s alma mater. For the next year, he was a dental resident at the Medical Center of Delaware, now the Christiana Care Health System. In 1979, he joined his father in dental practice and was asked to teach the incoming dental residents at the Medical Center. In that year, what he considered his greatest accomplishment his only child Elizabeth (Ellie) L. Baker, DMD, FAGD was born.
He remained in private practice for 40 years during which he provided individual care to his patients, whom he regarded as family. Jim was delighted when his daughter joined him in the family business in 2008.
Jim continued to teach and nurture dental residents part-time until his retirement from Christiana Care in 2013. He rose to the position of Assistant Director of the clinical program and was instrumental with several dental friends in creating the dental implant program which was integrated into the residency program.
On a professional level, Jim was a member of the American Dental Association, the Delaware State Dental Society, and the Academy of General Dentistry. He was a Fellow of the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.
Out of the office, Jim enjoyed swimming and cooking, cheering his daughter on in her swimming meets and delighted in attending his granddaughters’ athletic, art and dance activities. He was a lifelong member of Timberlane Swimming Club, where he served as President of the Board of Directors for twelve years.
If he was not hanging out at Timberlane, Jim could be found with his family at his Jersey Shore townhouse or Hutchinson Island, FL condo.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. James C. Baker Sr. and Edith Schmidt Baker; his in-laws, Raymond and Elizabeth Roble; two brothers Richard Baker and Andrew Baker; and brother-in-law Raymond J. Roble. He is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years Kathleen Roble Baker; his cherished daughter Elizabeth L. Baker; his son-in-law (whom he considered a son) Jon E. Steenson; and three granddaughters Eowyn P. Steenson, McKenna E. Steenson, and Brea L. Steenson, the apples of his eye. His brother William (Karen) Baker of Dover, DE and their son Erik and sisters-in-law Pattie Hernandez and Michelle Lorenzen and her daughter Stephanie, all of Toms River, NJ, also survive him.
At this time, the family would like to acknowledge the wonderful care given by the staff of the Delaware Veterans Home and Delaware Hospice as they saw Jim through his final illness.
Please omit flowers. A contribution to either St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963 in Jim’s memory would be appreciated.
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