Joe Don Baker

Date of Birth: February 12, 1936

Place of Birth: Groesbeck, Limestone, Texas, U.S.

Date of Death: May 7, 2025

Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, some Scots-Irish/Northern Irish/Irish, German, and Scottish, distant French Huguenot

Joe Don Baker was an American actor. He was known for co-starring in the James Bond films The Living Daylights, GoldenEye, and Tomorrow Never Dies, as Buford Pusser in Walking Tall (1973), for playing the title character in Mitchell (1975), and for his roles in the films Guns of the Magnificent Seven, Wild Rovers, Charley Varrick, The Natural (1984), Fletch (1985), and Cape Fear (1991), on the series Edge of Darkness (1985), and in the made-for-tv movie George Wallace (1997).

Joe Don was the son of Edna and Doyle Charles Baker. He was raised by his aunt, Anna Thompson, after his mother’s death when he was twelve.

Joe Don’s paternal grandfather was John Milton Baker (the son of The Rev. Fountain Summerfield Baker and Elizabeth Mary McWhorter). John was born in Texas. The Rev. Fountain was born in Tennessee, the son of The Rev. Jesse Scief Baker and Lavina Gober. Elizabeth was born in Texas, the daughter of William Parks McWhorter, whose paternal grandparents were born in Ireland; and of Nancy Agnes Emeline Barry.

Joe Don’s paternal grandmother was Adele Maria Copeland (the daughter of John Perry Copeland and Martha Clementry “Mattie” Young). Adele was born in Texas. John was born in Mississippi, the son of William A. Copeland and Hannah M. Cartwright. Martha was born in Tennessee, the daughter of Alonzo Decalnes Young and Martha A. Rushton.

Joe Don’s maternal grandfather was James Marshall McDonald (the son of Bud McDonald and Martha Colburn). James was born in Texas. Bud was born in Arkansas.

Joe Don’s maternal grandmother was Georgia Ann Gameson (the daughter of Frank Arney Gameson and Samantha Ann Burgess). Georgia was born in Texas. Frank was an English immigrant.

Sources: Genealogy of Joe Don Baker – https://www.findagrave.com

Birth record of Joe Don Baker – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Joe’s paternal uncle (father’s brother) – https://memorials.beatyfuneralhome.com