Obituary of John H. Baker

John H. Baker Professional Engineer/ Professor Wth integral role in design of Mesa Verde National Park , 81 John H. Baker, , of West Orange, NJ, passed away on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at St. Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ. A Memorial Service celebrating John's life will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at 2:00 pm in the Codey & Jones Funeral Home, 54 Roseland Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006. To extend a condolence or share a memory, please visit www.codeyjonesfh.com. John was born and raised in Palo Alto, CA. He graduated from Stanford University in 1956 with a BS in Civil Engineering. Mr. Baker was a professional civil engineer and land surveyor, he spent the majority of his career with the National Park Service, where he was responsible for the design and construction of major elements at Mesa Verde National Park, including park access roads leading up the mesa, gravity water systems from Morefield Canyon, campgrounds and amphitheater. He served the Park Service in California, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and New York, before his retirement in 1986. After retirement he was an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ where he taught oceanic structures and land surveying. In addition to his profession he was an avid railroad enthusiast who noted and traveled many railways, but his favorite was the Southern Pacific Rail Line. He was predeceased by his first wife, Diane L. (Mock) and a son, John Denise Baker. Surviving are his wife, of 25 years, Gloria (Rosete), a daughter, Cynthia Burzynski and a granddaughter, Julia Diane Burzynski. In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory to the Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org) would be greatly appreciated.