Walter Baker has not only been an asset to the Haddonfield community, he has strived to give back to others in a variety of ways.
Many residents know Walter Baker as a beloved member of the Haddonfield 65 Club, an organization dedicated to getting men out of the house and active in the community. But unbeknown to some, he has not only been a friendly face around town, but a charitable man in a variety of unexpected ways outside his community.
Last Wednesday, Baker was recognized for his generosity and charitable acts, being nominated for a Camden County Freedom Medal, an award reserved for Camden County residents who have generously contributed their time and effort to better their community while living by the ideals indicative of Martin Luther King Jr., according to Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr.
Baker’s journey to receiving such a prestigious award has been an interesting one. At 2 weeks old, Baker’s mother passed away from complications during childbirth. After losing his mother, his uncle Albert Durham and his aunt Marion Durham stepped up and took Baker under their wing.
“I considered them as my parents,” Baker said.
Raised in East Camden, Baker moved to Haddonfield in 1957 after serving three years in the Marine Corps. Needless to say, living in Haddonfield hasn’t stopped Baker from going back to his hometown and making Camden a better place.
Baker first volunteered at Cooper Hospital in 1995, bringing patients to the surgery center in hopes to make people’s lives brighter who are about to undergo surgery, which can be a stressful time, Baker explained. Accumulating more than 7,600 hours to date, Baker volunteers two days a week, every week.
Volunteering at Cooper is just one of the many ways Baker has given back to others. He belonged to the Boy Scouts of America for 63 years.
His most cherished memories include attending seven Boy Scout National Jamborees where boys were in attendance from various countries. Just having watched the Scouts bond and practice everyday tasks such as cooking is enjoyable to watch because it makes the boys more self-reliant when entering adulthood, according to Baker.
Baker’s passion for helping others runs through his veins, as shown through his service with the American Red Cross, teaching night classes at Haddon Township High School in the 1970s. One of his favorite parts about having taught others is knowing his students would be able to potentially save someone else’s life after completing the classes.
“Feels like a natural thing to me to help out where I can,” Baker said.
It is apparent why Baker would be given the Camden County Freedom Medal, according to his long-time friend, Bill Brown, who has known Baker for upward of 40 years and nominated him for the award. While Brown was a director of the Mabel Kay House in Haddonfield, he saw firsthand how giving Baker and his wife, Dolores Wolcott, who passed away in 2010 after 54 years of marriage, was.
“They always considered themselves as young,” Brown said. “They shared as much enjoyment doing for the seniors as the seniors enjoyed being the recipients of their actions.’’
Walter has four children, Walter Jr., Michael, Timothy and Heather whom he loves, and not a day goes by where he doesn’t miss his wife. On the rare occasion he isn’t helping others, he can be found bowling Thursday and Friday mornings at Laurel Lanes in Maple Shade or surf fishing in Ocean City.
Baker encourages others to give back to their communities and take the time to help others as often as possible.
“Our purpose in life is to help our neighbor,” Baker said.
