Medford Lee "Med" Baker

Medford Lee “Med” Baker, 85, of Jackson passed away Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022, at Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born July 31, 1936, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, the son of Vernon and Mary Bennett Baker. Med and Karen Washburn were married Jan. 6, 1967, in Pekin, Illinois. They moved to Jackson one year later. He was baptized at and attended First Baptist Church in Jackson for 55 years.

He attended school in Poplar Bluff to seventh grade, but later went on to earn his GED. He also attended classes at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center that included courses in arc and gas welding, auto-body repair, electrical construction, mechanical refrigeration systems, small engine repair, metal work, woodworking and precision machining. He started installing hardwood floors at age 14 and continued in flooring installation including carpet, tile and laminates for 71 years.

Med enjoyed spending time with his family. He was an avid golfer, winning several tournaments with two holes in one at Kimbeland Country Club, where he also served on the board. He was the only golfer in Kimbeland Country Club history to shoot par right handed and left handed on the course. He enjoyed league bowling for several years, bowling multiple 300 games in competition.

He served with the American Kennel Club of Southeast Missouri as obedience instructor. He and Karen founded and operated Idle-Brett’s Kennels, raising and training German shepherd dogs for several years and where he trained several champions in obedience and confirmation. In his younger days he was an exceptional pool player, winning the 1967 Illinois State Pool Championship.

He played guitar most of his life and played in several bands over the years.

Med served in the National Guard.

To cherish his memory, he leaves behind a loving wife of 55 years, Karen J. Baker of Jackson; three children, Keith Baker of Jackson, Jodie Brown of Schulenburg, Texas, and Jill (James) Rawson of Colorado Springs, Colorado; seven grandchildren, Shailey Boaz (Tony) Phillips of McAllen, Texas; Maddie Baker, Brayden Baker, Savannah Baker and Delaney Baker of Cape Girardeau; and Darin and McKenna Rawson of Colorado Springs; and two great-grandchildren, Sophie and T.J. Phillips of McAllen.

Med was preceded in death by his parents and seven siblings, Willie Baker, Ernest Baker, Beatrice Lucy, John Baker, Maxine Baker, Violet Brajkovich and Charles Baker.

Med’s family welcomes you to a memorial visitation to celebrate his life from 2 p.m. until service time Saturday at First Baptist Church in Jackson.

A memorial service will follow at 4 p.m. at the church, with the Rev. Randy Riley officiating.

A private interment will be Sunday at Russell Heights Cemetery.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Bright Focus Foundation: Alzheimer’s Disease Research at support.brightfocus.org.

The Baker family would like to give a special thank you to all the doctors, nurses and technicians at the emergency rooms at SoutheastHEALTH and Saint Francis Medical Center and at Parkland Health and Life Care Center, who took such diligent and kind care of him. And a special thanks to Legacy Hospice, which provided above and beyond end-of-life care for him.

The family entrusted McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson with Med’s final arrangements.

To send an online condolence to the family, visit the McCombs Funeral Home website at mccombsfuneralhome.com; then click on the tribute wall tab of Med’s personal obituary.

Bright Focus Foundation: Alzheimer's Disease Research, Clarksburg, MD
22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg MD 20871
Tel: 1-800-437-2423
Email: info@brightfocus.org
Web: http://support.brightfocus.org