Baker, Leander

Leander Baker

June 26, 1945  –  June 12, 2019

Leander James Baker was born June 26, 1945, in Oneida, Kansas. He was the first son of John Patrick Baker and Loretta Hilda Haug. Lee spent his early years attending Christ the King Catholic School in Wichita, Kansas. He was active in the church as an altar server and spent his leisure time playing Little League Baseball. Leander attended Chaplain Kapaun Memorial High School. After graduating from high school, Leander enlisted in the Marines. He landed in Vietnam in January of 1968 and right into the middle of Khe Sanh. After he and his fellow Marines left Khe Sanh, Leander spent the remainder of his tour around Dong Hong and Da Nang. Leander saw heavy combat and was forever changed. None the less he survived and returned home to Wichita, fulfilling his duty to serve. He had the first of many health setbacks resulting from his service in Vietnam. He bounced back and forth between Wichita and Kansas City seeing many specialists at the Veterans Affairs facilities and specialty clinics. Ultimately it was around 1980 when Agent Orange and the resulting health complications became mainstream, and Leander had an answer to his health issues. Through the years Leander has battled PTSD, bone cancer, colon cancer, kidney cancer and lung cancer.. Other than the county tax authority and local code enforcement, you’d be hard pressed to find his enemy.
Leander spent the last ten or so years in El Dorado, Kansas working in the oil fields and making new friends. Thankfully for Leander and his family, he met Cindy and LaVaughn Yordy who assisted in his battle with cancer and took care of him during his final days.

Leander is preceded in death by his father John Patrick Baker and mother Loretta Haug Baker. He is survived by his daughter Tara Ballaro Independence Kansas, granddaughters Kayla Wade Buffalo Kansas, Kyra Lewallen Independence Kansas, Sister Mary Kay Palmgren Wichita Kansas, brother John Gerard Baker (Sindy) Camdenton Missouri, nephew Joshua Baker Camdenton Missouri, niece Stephanie Ethington (Brent) and nephew Michael Parmley (Carrie) Wichita Kansas