This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Baker Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/JCC.2ACEB/3188.3246.3284.3298.1 Message Board Post: Kaycee & Kathy, hey ya'll, I know this is probably a long shot but your Donald Baker sounds like a guy that my mom befriended & married back in the late 80's say around 87-88. Her & my dad were divorced/seperated & we left him- going to the south side of Fort Worth.After about 2 nights of sleeping in her truck, we went to the Union Gospel Mission on Hemphill Street. We had some family but all of them turned us away because of the nature of my parents divorce/seperation- to be frank, they didn't want me around because I was my fathers child- that's another long story but back to Mr. Baker what I know of this Donald Baker was that he had an injury & had to use a cane at times.He told my mom some sob story of how it happened but due to what happened later on in their relationship, I think there quite a few lupolds in the mans stories. I believe that this is the guy ya'll are looking for. I don't know how you'd go about finding him or if he is still living tho. The last I saw of him was a few years after my mom & him had split up- (I don't know if they were legally married either- she says they were but I think she just took his last name to "run from my dad" so he couldn't find us) and he was a transient again, living on the streets in the "Cowtown" or Stockyards area of Fort Worth & that was either in 92 or just prior. I don't know if ya'll have found him yet. I posted before but no reply- if ya'll haven't I would be glad to help you search- I'm not wanting anything out of this- I just want him found & returned to his family or families. He had his bad aspects but still, he was a human being. He never talked much about his past- he did mention something about either being adopted by the Bakers or possibly having a stepfather himself who may have been Italian. The name Marlane/ Marlene rings a bell- he would say something about some German girl named Lily Marlene- so that right there could be a clue for your friend/cousin After leaving the Mission, mom, him & me lived in a rat hole on Belknap street in FW then moved to a duplex apt on S Jennings Ave - then my mom kicked him out when she found a few dozen Thunderbird wine bottles (his favorite- some were empty,some full & half full) - he told her that he had quit. Then his excuse was that "he had to have them for the pain in his hip" - when she kicked him out, she gave him $5.25- the quarter was to call a cab & the $5 was for it to get him out of there.She couldn't take it anymore- there had been some abuse issues, the alcohol as well didn't help much. I remember he'd always keep a padlock on the icebox to keep me from getting into it & getting what I wanted to eat out. I was a teenager then & alot of times I liked fixing my own food when I came in from school. He didn't work so alot of times he'd do the cooking and if I didn't like what he fixed, I went without. He wasn't a very good cook at all- like hamburger helper for instance- I love it ! but when you cook it & let it sit on the stove for hours afterwards before serving it, it loses everything and plus theres a chance of food poisoning too. After seeing him & how he was a few years later on the street, I felt horrible. If he's still out there somewhere & alive, he's got to be returned to his family. He's missing out on their lives just as they are about his- he's probably got grandkids, maybe even gr-grand kids who could benefit from being around him. His good aspects were he was very smart, he was an artist- his paintings were the most beautiful that I had ever seen- he loved to paint & do crafts- I remember he was always telling me not to throw away popsicle sticks because he would make these little figurines & houses out of them. He helped me a few times with school projects which were very good. Do your friend or cousin like to paint or do craftwork? My name is Lillie Neal- Donald Baker was my step-dad for about 2 1/2 years. I'm here to help in the search if you need me, if ya'll haven't already found him. Please feel free to email me directly at wyvern43@earthlink.net