Mr. John Duffie Baker II

Mr. John Duffie Baker II, age 56, of Colleyville, Texas passed away on Saturday, June 3, 2023 at a local hospital while surrounded by many family and friends in the days leading to his death. He left behind a loving family and many lifelong friends who will forever remember him as a kind, generous and caring father, son, brother, partner and friend.

A service honoring John will be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Hurst, 1801 N. Norwood Drive, Hurst TX 76054.

John was born in 1966 to parents Kay and John D. Baker, Sr. and grew up in Hurst, Texas where he remained in the area all of his life. He attended L.D. Bell High School, and while a student, formed a profitable landscaping business with a friend before graduating in 1985. That business continued to grow and expand in the following decade thanks to his keen business sense.

John was known at an early age not only as an entrepreneur, but for his desire to be independent and earn money. He recruited friends to help with a paper route while in elementary school, and by junior high was sacker at a local grocery while helping other friends get jobs at the same store. By high school age, he was mowing yards and building a customer base, designing landscapes and installing sprinkler systems after getting his irrigation license at 17.

After the lake house remodel of his home on Possum Kingdom Lake that led to a passion for renovation projects, he began tackling other homes on the lake that needed to be updated. Soon he had built a business as a new home builder as well as a remodeler, and was known throughout the area as the builder who was changing the landscape of the lake with his quality home builds. At this death, projects were continuing to be completed and there are more than 100 John Baker luxury vacation homes dotted throughout the shores and cliffs of Possum Kingdom Lake built over the past two decades.

John lived large throughout his life. He grew up on Tarrant County lakes and shared that love of water and boating with his father. John’s father bought he and his sister a ski boat to “share” when they were in high school, and it was a point of contention during the summertime as to who would get to the marina first to take the boat out on the water with friends before the other sibling arrived. Years later John would invest in much larger boats that were seaworthy including his well-recognized cigarette boat named, “Another Bad Decision.”

He had a passion for all sports, gourmet cooking and grilling, spending time with longtime friends some whom dated back to Pee-Wee Football days and junior high. John was always surrounding by friends, many of whom he’d had since his early years. Once you were a friend of “Baker,” you knew you could always count on him for unsolicited advice, a helping hand at any hour day or night, an open invitation to his home or lake house, and lots of good food and drink! He loved dogs, trips to Las Vegas, and spent many winters snow skiing and summers on the water with his children.

Family was most important to John. Having grown up in a close-knit family, he shared many interests with his dad and was always available to help his mom in later years after his father passed. Never far from home, John was a dedicated son to his parents. He was very proud of his two children. He coached his son in basketball and was always a fan of his daughter’s cheerleading talents. He loved deeply, and you knew this was true without words ever having to be said.

John is survived by his children: John Duffie Baker III (J.D.) and Carley Baker, both of Fort Worth. He is survived by his mother, Kay Baker of Hurst; sister, Marjorie Vaneskahian Burr and husband Don of Allen, Texas, and nephew Jean-Martin Vaneskahian of Allen; aunt and uncle, Mary and Vic Bolton of Colleyville, and aunt, Lou Baker of Arlington, Texas. John is also survived by his partner, Stacy Geigenmiller of Colleyville and the mother of his children, Sandy Watkins Waller of Arlington. He is also survived by many extended family and a lifetime of friends. He is preceded in death by his father, John Duffie Baker, Senior; and grandparents Grace and Vic Bolton, and Marjorie and Dr. Charles Baker II

A memorial service for John will be held Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church of Hurst, 1801 Norwood Dr, Hurst, TX 76054.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bluebonnethills.com for the Baker family.