Gene E. Baker

Gene E. Baker, age 86, of Zoarville, passed away Tuesday, December 20, 2022, in Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital, Dover.

Born October 3, 1936, on the family farm on Baker Road in New Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Earl Baker and Catherine Inherst Baker Bair. Gene graduated from New Philadelphia High School in 1953, and went on to serve honorably with the United States Marine Corps. He was employed by Greer Steel in Dover for 30 years before retiring in 1999.

Gene was a classic car enthusiast and owned a 1955 Chevrolet for many years. In his younger days he enjoyed going to auctions and flea markets. And Gene’s best buddy, his little Shih Tzu, Bandit, now gone, was very special to him.

Gene is survived by his loving wife, Charlene Meek Widder Baker, whom he married on February 22, 1999, in Greenup, Kentucky; his son, Henry Baker of Warsaw; his sister, Elizabeth Smith of Hartville; his nieces and nephew, Jill Smith of Cuyahoga Falls, Julie (Tim) Barnett of Stow, and John Smith of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas; and his great-nieces and great-nephews.

In addition to his parents, Gene was preceded in death by his nephew, Jeffrey Smith, and his good friend, Denny Polilli.

A funeral service will be held Tuesday, December 27, at 1:30 p.m., in the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory, Dover; Pastor Jon Long of Otterbein United Methodist Church in New Philadelphia will officiate. Gene will be buried privately in Dover Burial Park. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Gene, please visit the Obituaries link on the Toland-Herzig website.

Instead of flowers, contributions in Gene’s memory are requested to the Tuscarawas County Dog Pound, 1751 Tech Park Dr. N.E., or Community Hospice, 716 Commercial Ave. S.W., both addresses at New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.

TOLAND-HERZIG, DOVER

330-343-6132

www.tolandherzig.com