Dr John Oliver Baeke

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Dr John Oliver Baeke Veteran

Birth
Wessington, Beadle County, South Dakota, USA
Death
8 Aug 2005 (aged 86)
Burial
Prairie Village, Johnson County, Kansas, USA GPS-Latitude: 38.9784813, Longitude: -94.6271667
Memorial ID
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From The Pierre Gerardy Family in America, by Evelyn Potter Park, 1979, p. 35:

Dr. John Oliver Baeke is an M.D. with board certification in family practice. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1941 with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering. Before serving as a radar officer in the submarine force of the United States Navy, he worked for Hercules Powder Company and afterwards for Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. He left this employment to return to the University of Kansas to pursue the study of medicine. He was an honor graduate from the School of Medicine and a member of Alpha Omega Alpha.

He has served on the staff of five hospitals in the Kansas City area and as president of the Johnson County Medical Society. He has also served as Chief-of-Staff of Shawnee Mission Hospital. For fifteen years he served on the Board of Education for the Shawnee Mission Schools and among other presidencies he was charter president of the NOJOCO Chapter of SPEBSQSA, Inc. He currently is on the Board of Directors and vice president of the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club. He serves as a volunteer on the staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. John's hobbies are singing barbershop music, model railroads, fishing, St. Bernard dogs, and restoring classic cars.

From Kansas City Star, May 30, 1965:

BACK TO FIRST LOVE
A Leawood physician—who left a career as a chemical engineer after nine years to attain his boyhood ambition of becoming a doctor—has been named ‘'Family Doctor of the Year,” in Kansas district No. 1 of the American Academy of General Practice. He is Dr. John O. Baeke, of 9817 Lee circle, Leawood. In citing him for the award, Dr. Herbert Nason, district president, pointed out that he was an honor graduate of the University of Kansas school of medicine, had worked for better medical care in the community, was on the staff of four hospitals in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, and had given much time to work in medical organizations, his church and the schools of his district.
Dr. Baeke is a hobbyist. These include participation in a barbershop quartet, maintaining a private pilot's license, raising St. Bernard dogs and building model railroad systems. He is married and has two children.

From an obituary:

Dr. John Oliver Baeke, 86, continued his walk with our Lord when he passed away Monday, August 8, 2005. He was a vibrant leader of the community, having lived in Johnson County over 55 years. Dr. Baeke, born to Pauline (Lippe) and John S. Baeke in Wessington, SD, May 28, 1919, lived an extraordinary life. He graduated from Clay County (KS) Comm. H.S., Valedictorian (c'37). A K.U. Dean's List graduate (Tau Beta Pi Honorary Soc.) in Chemical Engineering (c'41), he worked at Hercules Powder Co. (Sunflower) then Standard Oil New Jersey, before being commissioned into the USN Submarine service, 1943. He received Electrical Engineering degrees at Princeton and M.I.T. in the (then) highly classified field of Radar and Sonar. Stationed at Pearl Harbor, Lt. Baeke was decorated for his leadership on board a squadron of 8 subs. Post WWII, he graduated from KU medical school (c'52) Valedictorian and Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Soc. member. He was recipient of the Guffey award for excellence in OB/GYN. He was the second family physician to set up practice in all of Overland Park. Dr. Baeke was medical staff president of Providence-St. Margaret's Hosp., Bethany, and Shawnee Mission Medical Centers (the latter of which he was also charter member). He was voted Kansas Physician of the Year, 1965. He was loved by his patients, respected by his peers.
Dr. Baeke was deeply devoted to the children of Shawnee Mission, serving on the Shawnee Mission School Board longer than anyone ever, from 19611975. He was President 5 times. He was actively involved in the design of 4 of the 5 Shawnee Mission High Schools, and many of the elementary and junior high schools. He was responsible for introduction of many innovative programs, e.g. N.J.R.O.T.C, to the school district. In times of turmoil, the teachers union, N.E.A., considered Dr. Baeke a friend. He was a master mediator. He was also member of the Kansas State Board of Education. A man of diverse talents, this young physician, and educator somehow in the 1960's, found time to become a successful wildcat oil driller/operator in Kansas and Kentucky. Dr. Baeke's avocations included Barbershop harmony singing. He was charter president of the Overland Stage Chorus, and sang bass in the quartet, The Entertainment Committee.
He enjoyed restoration of classic Cord automobiles. He was past-President of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club. In 1995, he completed the 5,000 mile Great North American Race from Ottawa, Canada to Mexico City in a 1937 Delahaye. Dr. Baeke was an Elder and Deacon of Overland Park Presbyterian Church, and later became a devoted member of Village Presbyterian church. John O. Baeka lived a very full life!
Dr. Baeke is preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Marguerite Lucille Faivre. He is survived by his children, Drs. Joni L. (Toby) and John L. (Suzanne) Baeke; grandchildren Holly H., Heidi H., Heather H., Charis (John) Grosdidier, Caleb (John) True, Brittney B. and Olivia B.; great-grandchildren Daniel Grosdidier and Makayla Grosdidier; all of whom miss him dearly.
From The Pierre Gerardy Family in America, by Evelyn Potter Park, 1979, p. 35:

Dr. John Oliver Baeke is an M.D. with board certification in family practice. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1941 with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering. Before serving as a radar officer in the submarine force of the United States Navy, he worked for Hercules Powder Company and afterwards for Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. He left this employment to return to the University of Kansas to pursue the study of medicine. He was an honor graduate from the School of Medicine and a member of Alpha Omega Alpha.

He has served on the staff of five hospitals in the Kansas City area and as president of the Johnson County Medical Society. He has also served as Chief-of-Staff of Shawnee Mission Hospital. For fifteen years he served on the Board of Education for the Shawnee Mission Schools and among other presidencies he was charter president of the NOJOCO Chapter of SPEBSQSA, Inc. He currently is on the Board of Directors and vice president of the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club. He serves as a volunteer on the staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. John's hobbies are singing barbershop music, model railroads, fishing, St. Bernard dogs, and restoring classic cars.

From Kansas City Star, May 30, 1965:

BACK TO FIRST LOVE
A Leawood physician—who left a career as a chemical engineer after nine years to attain his boyhood ambition of becoming a doctor—has been named ‘'Family Doctor of the Year,” in Kansas district No. 1 of the American Academy of General Practice. He is Dr. John O. Baeke, of 9817 Lee circle, Leawood. In citing him for the award, Dr. Herbert Nason, district president, pointed out that he was an honor graduate of the University of Kansas school of medicine, had worked for better medical care in the community, was on the staff of four hospitals in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, and had given much time to work in medical organizations, his church and the schools of his district.
Dr. Baeke is a hobbyist. These include participation in a barbershop quartet, maintaining a private pilot's license, raising St. Bernard dogs and building model railroad systems. He is married and has two children.

From an obituary:

Dr. John Oliver Baeke, 86, continued his walk with our Lord when he passed away Monday, August 8, 2005. He was a vibrant leader of the community, having lived in Johnson County over 55 years. Dr. Baeke, born to Pauline (Lippe) and John S. Baeke in Wessington, SD, May 28, 1919, lived an extraordinary life. He graduated from Clay County (KS) Comm. H.S., Valedictorian (c'37). A K.U. Dean's List graduate (Tau Beta Pi Honorary Soc.) in Chemical Engineering (c'41), he worked at Hercules Powder Co. (Sunflower) then Standard Oil New Jersey, before being commissioned into the USN Submarine service, 1943. He received Electrical Engineering degrees at Princeton and M.I.T. in the (then) highly classified field of Radar and Sonar. Stationed at Pearl Harbor, Lt. Baeke was decorated for his leadership on board a squadron of 8 subs. Post WWII, he graduated from KU medical school (c'52) Valedictorian and Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Soc. member. He was recipient of the Guffey award for excellence in OB/GYN. He was the second family physician to set up practice in all of Overland Park. Dr. Baeke was medical staff president of Providence-St. Margaret's Hosp., Bethany, and Shawnee Mission Medical Centers (the latter of which he was also charter member). He was voted Kansas Physician of the Year, 1965. He was loved by his patients, respected by his peers.
Dr. Baeke was deeply devoted to the children of Shawnee Mission, serving on the Shawnee Mission School Board longer than anyone ever, from 19611975. He was President 5 times. He was actively involved in the design of 4 of the 5 Shawnee Mission High Schools, and many of the elementary and junior high schools. He was responsible for introduction of many innovative programs, e.g. N.J.R.O.T.C, to the school district. In times of turmoil, the teachers union, N.E.A., considered Dr. Baeke a friend. He was a master mediator. He was also member of the Kansas State Board of Education. A man of diverse talents, this young physician, and educator somehow in the 1960's, found time to become a successful wildcat oil driller/operator in Kansas and Kentucky. Dr. Baeke's avocations included Barbershop harmony singing. He was charter president of the Overland Stage Chorus, and sang bass in the quartet, The Entertainment Committee.
He enjoyed restoration of classic Cord automobiles. He was past-President of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club. In 1995, he completed the 5,000 mile Great North American Race from Ottawa, Canada to Mexico City in a 1937 Delahaye. Dr. Baeke was an Elder and Deacon of Overland Park Presbyterian Church, and later became a devoted member of Village Presbyterian church. John O. Baeka lived a very full life!
Dr. Baeke is preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Marguerite Lucille Faivre. He is survived by his children, Drs. Joni L. (Toby) and John L. (Suzanne) Baeke; grandchildren Holly H., Heidi H., Heather H., Charis (John) Grosdidier, Caleb (John) True, Brittney B. and Olivia B.; great-grandchildren Daniel Grosdidier and Makayla Grosdidier; all of whom miss him dearly.