Penelope Baker

Dr. Penelope “Penny” Leonard Baker passed away in the early hours of June 2, 2025, after a four-year battle with cancer.

Penny was born to Donald Wesley Leonard Sr and Elizabeth “Betty Jo” Wilson Leonard in 1955. She grew up in Tolleson, AZ as the youngest of three children born to Donald and Betty Jo and was loved and adored by her brother and sister. Penny was an ambitious child coming from humble beginnings as a farmer’s daughter. She graduated from Tolleson Union High School, began her medical career in a hospital lab, and then went to medical school at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. She chose to become a Nephrologist and completed her fellowship in Nephrology at the University of Colorado.

Dr. Baker devoted 28 selfless years serving veterans in Nephrology and Hemodialysis at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center and the U.S. Public Health Service Phoenix Indian Center, eventually becoming Chief Nephrologist at the VA. Her patients appreciated her positivity, thoughtfulness and attention she gave them and was described as an excellent physician. Her students shared she was extremely hard working, brilliant, encouraging, and sometimes terrifying, pushing her residents to do their best. She has been credited with saving many lives as the result of her research in the field of Nephrology.

Penny will be remembered for her philanthropic work with the Arizona Siberian Husky Rescue and Adoption organization. She spent many hours saving Huskies from the euthanasia list. Her dog rescue friends coined her as the “most selfless human being they had ever met.” She always seemed to find the lost souls and took every dog she could through obedience training. She also loved horses, and cared deeply for every horse at the “ranch.”

Penny led a life of service to creature and human alike, always on the go saving anyone or anything from unfortunate circumstances but rarely stopping long enough to give herself that same grace. Her biological and chosen families would call her altruistic, loving and generous. The gap that she leaves behind is one that can not be easily filled, as most of us have never met another person so passionate about their work.

Penny is survived by nieces Amy Taylor (Jake) and Tiffany Stone, numerous cousins, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind her chosen family, Claribel Gonzalez, Eloy Blanco and their children and Amy Bowan, as well as her first husband and friend, Randall Baker. Penny is preceded in death by the love of her life, and rescue partner, Dr. Christopher Verdi, Donald Wesley Leonard Sr (father), Elizabeth “Betty Jo” Wilson Leonard (mother), Pamela Leonard Albright (Sister), and Donald Wesley Leonard II (Brother).

Services will be held at Messinger Indian School Mortuary, 7601 E Indian School Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, on Saturday, June 21st at 10am. Memorial contributions can be made to Arizona Siberian Husky Rescue and Adoption, www.ASHRA.org.