Bernard W. Baker

1941

He was born Aug 3, 1900 in Cressey, Barry Twp., Barry County to John and Kate Baker. They were farmers. 1920 he lived in Battle Creek . After his first marriage in 1924 he and his wife Hazel moved to Kalamazoo, 1108 Douglas Ave. Bernard was a station salesman and Hazel a nurse. The site of their house is now a big parking lot.

1924 to 1930 he was partnered with his two brothers in Baker Bros Auto Parts in Kalamazoo. His sold his share in 1931 and moved to Grand Rapids where he opened Baker Auto Parts on Alpine and Leonard. Over the next years he opened several locations throughout the state. 

Around the early 1930's he started studying and photographing birds. At that time he moved to Marne, Tallmadge Twp, Ottawa Co, just outside Grand Rapids not at all far from where I once lived. About that time he also divorced. In 1943 he married Emilie Stepanek; his son Bernard Jr. was a witness at his marriage. He was a real estate owner with a 75 acre property near Marne, considered a sort of bird sanctuary de luxe in that area. The house was on old M-16, a section of which is replaced by I 96 as it slices thru Tallmadge Twp. Next time I'm up that way have to see if the house is still there; doubtful that the birds still have any sanctuary. But by the 1960 he and Emilie lived in Spring Lake.

His 1943 draft registration describes him as 6"8" 170  with blue eyes, brown hair. I've noticed these draft descriptions are sometimes way off. Might they have meant 5"8"?

In Oct 1948 the Holland Tulip Garden Club hosted Bernard to speak on birds and their habitats. They called him the Birdman of Marne & Michigan. He had a picture library of over 3,000 prints, including those photographed on trips to Cuba and Guatemala. Several prints were tinted by Emilie who also operates the projector at his lectures. (Wonder where are those prints now?) Years later in Nov. 1969 Grand Valley State College hosted an art exhibit of his works in the Manitou Gallery.

He purchased the Sanctuary land in 1941. Growing up in Cressy he likely became familiar with nearby land, especially the Big Marsh Lake. With only 2 years of high school he became President of his auto parts company and then went into real estate and left a lovely legacy for Sandhill Cranes and Michigan residents.

Bernard died Jan. 29, 1981 in Warrensville, Ohio at age 81. No record of a grave site.