Clarence "Bake" Baker

 

8 October 1921 - 13 March 2010

 

Bake Baker was a man of many talents.  He was a United States Navy Special Operations veteran who served in World War II as well as a lumber foreman for the American Forest Product in Oakhurst, California.  He was a family man who loved his wife Carolyn, his children, and his pets.

Bake and Carolyn fell in love with the Yorkshire Terrier breed in February of 2000 when they went to see a litter of puppies.  The puppies were one week old, and when Bake went to take a look at the pups, one little guy in particular caught his eye.  When he put his finger down to touch the puppy, (who happened to be nursing on it's mother), the puppy growled and Bake knew instantly, that was his puppy.  When the puppies were old enough to go to their new home, Bake and Carolyn ended up with Winston and his sister Maggie.  Through the years, Winston and Maggie became the joy in their lives, and the two dogs never failed to make Carolyn and Bake laugh at their antics.

Winston was diagnosed early in his life with Collapsing Trachea.  He was put on medication and his illness was medically managed for a length of time.  On June 19, 2006, Winston experienced  a total collapse of his trachea, and although the vets treated him medically and gave him oxygen, he was still unable to breath.  Bake and Carolyn had to make the tough decision to put Winston down, so he would not suffer.  That day brought tremendous heartache and pain to the Baker Family.

Bake Baker decided to do something to help all dogs with Collapsing Trachea.  He donated a substantial amount of money to the University of Tennessee Fancy Fund, in the hopes that all CT dogs would benefit from his pain and experience, and to allow the veterinarians to continue their efforts in finding a way to help these dogs.  Through Bake and Carolyn's contributions, the UT Fancy Fund is effectively moving forward in the medical field to find an answer to help those with CT.

Bake did not stop there.  Early this year, he was diagnosed with cancer.  It was his wish, that upon his death, all donations in his memory be made to three funds - one of those funds selected was Yorkie Angel Patrol.

We thank Bake and his family for their tireless efforts to battle Collapsing Trachea as a disease, and to help others with CT dogs.

Bake will always be remembered for his kind heart and his love of the Yorkshire Terrier breed.  His memory lives on forever in all those who loved him.

God Speed and May he rest in peace.

 

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