Willard Baker

Willard Baker, a long time community activist and leader in Lehigh Acres, died Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 22, 2010 in a hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., after a lengthy illness.

Baker, who was 73, took seriously ill in April of this year and was taken to Lehigh Regional Medical Center. From there he was transferred to Tampa General Hospital and later to a hospital in St. Petersburg.

His wife, Doris, was at his side when he died, according to friends.

Baker has been active in the affairs of Lehigh Acres for several years and has served the community through numerous organizations, the latest being as a member of the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corp. (LACPC) where he served as treasurer and vice chairman.

He also was very active in the Lehigh Community Council where he served as a past president among other offices.

Willard Baker as Santa Claus

In Lehigh, he was well-known as an advocate for the building of sidewalks and pushed county officials to require developers to build sidewalks when new homes are constructed. He was the liaison between Lehigh and the county when it came to the construction of sidewalks.

He was always deeply concerned when a child was killed in an accident at a bus stop where there were no sidewalks and made his views known as a vociferous proponent to get sidewalks all over Lehigh.

He participated in the planning of the Lehigh Community Plan and saw its finished product, the Lehigh Plan, before he became seriously ill. The mission of the LACPC was to develop a Lehigh land use plan to be included in the Lee County Comprehensive Plan.

He rarely missed a meeting of the organizations he served on during his life.

He was instrumental in the operations of the Kiwanis Thrift Store on Homestead Rd., where as a member of Kiwanis, he operated the finances of the business. He had also been a president of the Lehigh Acres Kiwanis Club.

Earlier, he was active as a Mason and became a 32nd degree Mason and enjoyed the antics of the Shriners at the Spring Festival Parade when the clubs from out of town took part in the parade. He was known for his famous pancake breakfasts on the morning of the parade.

In addition to these activities, Baker enjoyed playing Santa Claus for several years in Lehigh Acres and during many occasions was the Santa that arrived on the grounds of Lehigh Regional Medical Center to see the children and to participate in the lighting of the Christmas tree, which had become an annual event on Lee Blvd.

He once arrived on the lawn of the hospital on a fire truck from the Lehigh Acres Fire Dept. He spent time being photographed with the many children who turned out to see him. Two years ago he had purchased a new Santa Suit and he bragged often to his friends.

He spent many Christmases visiting families in Lehigh as Santa and often went to the rehabilitation center adjoining Lehigh Regional Medical Center to visit patients as Santa. He never turned down a request from a friend who wanted him to play Santa and come to their home.

He said in a Citizen story a year ago when interviewed that playing Santa each year was one of the things that made him the happiest in life.

In addition to his wife, Doris, he is survived by three grown children.

Friends may call at the Lee Memorial Park Funeral Home Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. A funeral will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the Lee Memorial Park Funeral Home with interment following at the Lee Memorial Park Cemetery.