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Birth: 1947 Death: 2024 Eric was born to Joseph and Marie Mottola Baker in June 1947 weighing in at 4 lbs., 4 oz. He spent his early years in East Los Angeles until the growing family moved to the oil fields of north Montebello.
It was a stark change going from a neighborhood filled with playmates to a street with only three homes and surrounded by oil derricks. With a fertile imagination he was seldom bored, relying on his interest in all things car related, from model building to drawing. In second grade he met his best friend David Pelliteri, also a car enthusiast, and growing up they spent countless hours together hanging out, driving go carts, building their own motorbikes, and working on each other’s 1934 Ford hot rods.
Eric enlisted in the USAF in 1966 and following basic training and tech school in Texas was stationed at Dover AFB, Delaware as a Loadmaster on C-141A cargo aircraft. This enabled him to travel the world, including Spain, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Japan, Thailand, and others including many trips to Viet Nam hauling supplies and troops and, unfortunately too many caskets back to the morgue in Dover. He was grounded for medical reasons and completed his service in squadron operations.
He bought a ’61 Porsche and joined the local sports car club. He moved off base and became fully engaged in the local community, making many friends there including lifelong friend Greg Bagen. Upon discharge he returned to California with his wife and their year-old daughter Zoey.
He got a job as an insurance inspector, and eventually began taking night courses at Community College. Following a divorce, he left his job to be a full-time student. It took six and a half years to get his BA degree in Philosophy, and a Certificate in Medieval and Renaissance Studies, with support from the G.
I. Bill, and working on a loading dock. After graduation, he worked in construction and then as a carpenter for a furniture manufacturer.
In 1979 he fulfilled a long-sought goal of moving from Whittier to the mountains of Boulder Creek. His young daughter moved with him and he was a single dad until her senior year of high school. He was so grateful for this because he really enjoyed being a dad.
He began working at the UC Santa Cruz University Library where he met his current wife Karen. During these years he pursued his interest in gardening and home projects, and spent many hours playing Italian folk songs on mandolin and French Musette songs on accordion, both of which he took up in his 50s, taking lessons in the morning before work. He and his wife enjoyed several trips to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, along with trips on the East and West Coasts, and Chicago.
He retired 33 years later as Head of Library Operations. After retirement, he enjoyed going out to breakfast with his friend Lee and going on long walks with his friend Jackie. He loved spending time on West Cliff in Santa Cruz, where he often walked and rode his bicycle.
Eric also spent a lot of time with his many cats, who provided as much love and fun back as he gave to them. Eric is survived by his wife Karen Mokrzycki, daughter Zoey Schroeder and son-in-law Jeff, grandchildren Eva and Simon, and siblings Jo Ann (Sister Paula Baker, PBVM), Bridget, Thom, Mary K, and Paul. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother John.
Eric was filled with tremendous love and gratitude for all the people he met on his life’s journey. His breadth of interests was very large. Please consider a donation to a charity of your choice for animals, veterans, libraries, national parks, CSULB, Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Katz Cancer Center, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, or American Cancer Society.
Eric’s family is grateful for the excellent care provided by Visiting Angels. Honor with Flowers In memory of Eric Plant a Living Memorial In memory of Eric.
