Hendrik Sjoerd "Hank" Bakker

1936 - 2025

Hendrik "Hank" Sjoerd Bakker
10/12/1936 - 11/15/2025
Hendrik "Hank" Sjoerd Bakker passed away on November 15, 2025, in Berkeley, California. He was 89 years old.
Born on October 12, 1936, in The Hague, Netherlands, Hank was the son of Hendrik Sjoerd Bakker and Caterina Johanna van Hofwegen. He grew up during the hardship and brutality of World War II, often recalling the scarcity of food and the resilience required to endure those years. During the Hunger Winter of 1944, Hank, along with his younger sister, Emmie, two older brothers, Ivar and Marius, and their parents, fled in the night to the Northern province of Friesland, and found refuge in the countryside with family. His time in Friesland was akin to a vacation - exploring, getting into mischief, playing with animals - in stark contrast to the violence of war. As a boy Hank was a historian; resourceful, independent, and often got into trouble. He agreed to do the dishes if his mother would share stories of the past. He built tube radios, would go fishing in illegal areas, and was caught by the police so often that sometimes his mother would tell them, "I'll pick him up, but first let me finish the laundry…"
Hank served two years of mandatory service in the Dutch army, an experience that weighed on him, robbed the hearing from his left ear, and shaped his fierce devotion to independence and autonomy. Hank lived his life outspokenly opposed to war.
Hank immigrated to the United States in 1958, arriving in Portland, Oregon, where he began work in a papermaking company. His journey marked the beginning of a remarkable life built on resolve, ingenuity, and personal connections. Hank firmly believed in self-determination, free will, and personal freedom.
Hank later moved to, and fell in love with, San Francisco, where he became the exclusive West Coast representative for Letts of London, a distinguished stationery brand. He built a successful career on persistence, a strong work ethic, dedication to personal relationships, and direct customer engagement.
Hank met Loretta Hagenson in 1964 and they were married on January 16, 1965. Together they celebrated 60 years of marriage, building a life rich with adventure, creativity, and deep and enduring companionship.
Hank's passions extended far beyond business. He and Loretta took decades restoring a stately, historic Victorian home in Pacific Heights that survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. Another labour of love was his beloved sailboat, the Ada Rina. He and Loretta embarked on an epic year-and-a-half motorhome journey through Central America, Mexico, the American Southwest, Canada, and Alaska. Their travels also took them to the Amazon, Morocco, Cambodia, the Everglades, and across Europe. An avid photographer, Hank installed a home-darkroom where he developed film and printed large black-and white images of his and Loretta's camping and fishing trips to the numerous lakes and national parks he revered. He later became a committed videographer, documenting their journeys and special events and creating short films of their adventures.
Hank held a profound reverence for the natural world, often pausing in awe and admiration of its beauty and wonder. He was steadfast in his beliefs, a devoted family historian and archivist, and deeply fond of the written word, which he wielded with eloquence. An engaging storyteller, he delighted in sharing memories and humor, often with an irreverent twist. He enjoyed life's simple pleasures-daily walks in Golden Gate Park, his morning Gouda, making the perfect cappuccino, a great bowl of pasta, and a dry martini.
Above all, Hank's greatest devotion was to his wife, Loretta, to whom he gave an unwavering commitment and enduring love.
Hank is survived by his wife, Loretta; his sisters Emmie Hiske Bakker-Cox and Rieneke van Proosdij-Bakker; nieces Karena H. Montag, Michelle Hagenson; nephews Mark Hagenson, Sjoerd van Proosdij, and Eelco van Proosdij; great-nieces and nephews, and close friends who will all cherish his memory. He was preceded in death by his brothers Ivar Sjoerd Bakker and Marius Eelco Bakker and his brother-in-law Nels Hagenson.