Wilbur Paul Baker was born in Leon, Iowa to Clarence Wilbur “Wib” and Luella Nadine (Reynolds) Baker on October 29, 1932. There will be a private service for family, relatives and invited guests on Wednesday, September 18th at 1:00 pm at Sunset Memorial Chapel. A committal service for cremated remains will follow with Military Honors at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations may be made to The Honor Flight Network or the Animal Rescue League on Paul's behalf.
A proud Southsider, Paul attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Des Moines where he was a member of the Air Force ROTC. Paul left school early to serve for the air force in the 132nd motor vehicle squadron during the Korean conflict in both Bangor, Maine, and Korea. He was honored with the Korean and the United Nation Service Medals.
Upon discharge, he lived in San Jose, California, where he met and married his first wife and the mother of their three sons, Bernadette A. Reed, who later predeceased him in 1981. The family moved back to Iowa in 1971.
Paul met his second wife, Donna Virginia (Boetel) at a mutual friend’s wedding reception at Clearwater Beach in West Des Moines. They wed on Paul’s birthday in 1983.
Paul was a member of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workers of North America and worked for Dahl’s Foods in Des Moines at the East Euclid store, finishing his 24-year career at the 22nd and Hickman location in Clive. Early retirement days were spent reading, golfing, word puzzles & games including billiards and cribbage. Beginning in 2003, Paul enjoyed retirement in Bayfield, Wisconsin. There, Paul enjoyed more golf, walking his dog, Bailey, on the course napping with his cat, Punkin, and spending time with his family including attending his grandchildren’s important youth events. One of the greatest highlights of his life was participating in an Honor Flight to Washington DC in May 2014 Arranged by his eldest son John and sponsored by the Laborers Local Union 177. Paul enjoyed visiting the Korean war memorial and all the national monuments. Together Paul and Donna enjoyed many years of international travel, splitting their time between two homes in Wisconsin and Florida before moving to Iowa in 2020.
The family would like to especially thank Paul's son Jim for all the love, support and care he provided over Paul's final years.
Paul is preceded in death by his first wife, parents, sisters Veronia, Virginia (Fred), Kay (Jim), Sue (Gale); brothers, an infant bother, Robert, and David (Chris).
Paul is survived by his wife, Donna, sons, John, James (Dawna), Joseph (Lisa); stepchildren, Kim (Mike), Scott (Debbie), Karla; and his youngest brother, Don; Grandchildren, Jody, Ryan (Melissa), Jamie, Amy, Emily (Cory), Madeline; Great-grandchildren, Stacie (Jesse), Zach, Jackson, Baylee, Brennan, Brody, Alivia, Rhiannon, Camryn, Ethan, Mason, Zoe and Calvin; Great-Great grandson; Jude and many, many nephews, and nieces.
