Obituary of Frederick Paul Baker

Frederick “Fred” Baker of McDonald, PA, died at home on Saturday, September 11, ending his two-year long battle with esophageal cancer. Fred was born November 16, 1946 to Fred Maxim and Hattie Pauline Baker. He was graduated from Otto-Eldred High School and attended Edinboro University. He proudly served in The U.S. Army in Korea. He was employed by Columbia Gas for thirty years in a variety of positions including Area Manager. Following his retirement from Columbia he worked for Sunpro Environmental as a Project Manager cleaning sites from steel mills and ERs to supervising major remediation projects like Dickinson College, a train derailment on the Mississippi, and the GG1 locomotives in Harrisburg. He was married for 47 years to (Cheryl) Joyce Kozak of Utica, New York and was the devoted father to Steven, his daughter-in-law Danielle (Pancari), and grandfather to Sadie, who he called the spark of his heart. Fred loved his family, the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and his hometown of Eldred, PA. He coached many of Steve’s sports teams, was a scout leader, and a volunteer in each community where lived. Most of all Fred loved to work, inspiring and mentoring many employees through the years. Besides his immediate family he is survived by his brother, Don “Butch” Baker, his sister-in-law, Pat, their children: Denise (Randy) Cussins, Lori (Paul) Damon, Susan (Pete) Tyrell, Donald “Bub” (Tina) Baker, many great nieces and nephews; sister Marlene (Jerry) Burrows. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law Brian and Robert Kozak (who lived with him;) Jim Kozak (Grace); Rick (Elaine) Kozak, daughters Hannah and Ella; Ken (Jeanine) Kozak and their children, Alexandra (Jonnathan) Cucaita, Nicholas, and Nathaniel. Friends received Wednesday, 5-8 pm, at the Warchol Funeral Home, Inc., 3060 Washington Pike, Bridgeville (412-221-3333), where a funeral service will be held on Thursday at 12:15 pm. Interment with full military honors to follow at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Twp. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fred P. Baker Memorial Scholarship Fund which will be awarded annually to a deserving Otto-Eldred High School student, c/o Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, 301 North Union Street, Suite 203, Olean, NY 14760, www.cattfoundation.org, 716-301-2723.