Donald Earl Baker

Donald Earl Baker, 85, of Biloxi, passed from this earthly realm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at Ocean Springs Hospital.

Mr. Baker was born October 2, 1939, on Deer Island, Biloxi, MS, where he resided until 1969 when Hurricane Camille destroyed the family home. He was a lifelong resident of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, was of the Catholic faith, a 1958 graduate of Biloxi High School and a Veteran of the United States Army.

Donald worked in the Gulf waters as a commercial fisherman his entire life. He began as a deckhand at a very young age and worked for many summers on the vessel Sea Queen for his uncle, Captain Ralph Baker. He oystered in the wintertime and in 1958 took over as captain of the family-owned shrimp vessel, Progres, which he ran for 27 years, with the exception of two years spent serving his country in the U.S. Army.

In 1985, Donald commissioned master boat builder, Bill Holland, to build a double-rigged, wooden shrimp vessel, which he named Ben Dora, after his grandparents, Ben and Dora (Ryan) Baker. He captained the Ben Dora until his retirement in 2013. Both Captain Baker and his shrimp vessel, Ben Dora, became inaugural inductees of the Biloxi Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum Heritage Hall of Fame in 2014.

When he wasn't shrimping, Donald enjoyed duck hunting, floundering, cast-netting, oystering and beach-combing for arrowheads. After retirement, his family found out that he could make a mean seafood gumbo, which he prepared each Christmas and other special occasions. He was always in pursuit of the perfect sausage and seasonings to perfect his gumbo and joked that the secret was to begin cooking at midnight.

His front porch had a view of Deer Island, his boyhood home, and he spent many hours there, in his rocking chair, hand-feeding peanuts to birds; observing the weather and passersby; stargazing for satellites, comets and the International Space Station; and watching boats pass in the Biloxi Channel. Though he no longer had a working boat, he kept tabs on his fellow fishermen by phone, always interested in their boats and shrimp catch.

Donald was an avid reader and possessed a quick wit and dry sense of humor, always delivering zingers with a straight face and twinkle in his baby blue eyes, before breaking into a mischievous grin. Well known for his generosity, Donald was a faithful donor to several charitable organizations, and the family encourages everyone to follow his example and donate to a charity of your choice in his memory.

Mr. Baker is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Eva (Walther) Baker; three brothers, Fredrick Baker, Arthur Baker, Jr., and Frank Baker; a sister-in-law, Velma Baker; and one nephew, Arthur Charles Baker.

He is survived by two brothers, Alvin (Anna) Baker, Sr., and Ronald J. Baker, Sr., of Biloxi; seven nephews: Alvin (Emily) Baker, Jr., Andrew Baker, David (Lyn) Baker, Larry (Dayna) Baker, Ronald J. Baker, Jr., Thomas (Kelly) Baker and John (Kim) Baker; one niece: Cynthia (Kenneth) Powell; one grand-niece; eight grand-nephews; two great-nieces and five great-nephews.

With heartfelt appreciation and deepest gratitude, the family would like to thank our family and friends for all of the support and kindness shown to Donald and to us. We especially thank Ocean Springs Hospital MICU staff for their loving care and compassion.

A funeral service will be held at 12:00 pm on Monday, September 8, 2025, at Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home. Howard Ave. Friends may visit two hours prior. Burial will follow at Biloxi City Cemetery. 

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Donald Earl Baker.

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