Donald Nelson Baker

Obituary: Donald Nelson Baker
Born on October 8, 1934, in Fishing Creek Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Donald Nelson Baker dedicated his life to agricultural science. After graduating from Benton High School in 1952, he pursued higher education in agronomy, earning a B.S. from The Pennsylvania State University in 1956, followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1959 and 1962, respectively.
In 1962, Dr. Baker began his distinguished career as a soil scientist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and later joined the Boll Weevil Research Laboratory at Mississippi State. He also served as an Adjunct Professor of Agronomy.
A pioneer in agricultural modeling, Dr. Baker and his colleagues developed dynamic computer simulation models for cotton, corn, and soybean crops. Their work led to his recognition as the 1986 Outstanding Scientist of the Year awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture. Collaborating with scientists from around the world, their cotton model, became a vital tool for crop management across the Cotton Belt and received numerous industry awards.
After retiring from USDA-ARS in 1990, Dr. Baker spent 15 years consulting for cotton farmers in the Mississippi Delta.
Beyond his scientific achievements, he was an instrument-rated pilot with nearly 4,000 flight hours and operated a dairy farm in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi.
Dr. Baker is survived by his wife, Bobbi Pritchard Prier Baker of Clarkson; his son, Dr. Jeffrey (Dana) Baker of Big Spring, Texas; daughters, Ann (Michael) Swedenburg of Columbus, Mississippi, Abigail Maness of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Polly (James) Pitcock of Germantown, Tennessee; stepsons, Donald Gilland of Wilmington, North Carolina, Ronald Prier Jr. of Clarkson, Mississippi, and Stephen Prier of Columbia, Mississippi; as well as eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.
Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2026 1:30-2:00 PM at Welch Funeral Home in Starkville, MS, with the private graveside following at 3:00 PM at Clarkson Cemetery in Clarkson, MS.