The family of John Joseph Baker, 81, of Boulder, Colorado share the news of his passing on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at his beautiful mountain home in Boulder, Colorado with his family by his side. He experienced a gentle “fading of my life” over a period of many months. John was born on September 13, 1944, in Lexington, Kentucky, and was the son of Edward and Harriet (Bloom) Baker, and big brother to Stephen Baker. He grew up in Summit, New Jersey, graduated from Yale, and did graduate work at the University of Chicago. From 1968–70 he taught sixth grade in New York’s Chinatown.
John met Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1970 when he moved to Boulder to learn meditation and study the Buddhadharma. He was a close student of Rinpoche, which set John on a path as a meditation practitioner and teacher for the next 56 years.
John assisted Rinpoche in the founding of Karma Dzong Buddhist Meditation Center in 1971 and Naropa Institute in 1973, serving as its first president for three years. He was also the head of the Buddhist Studies program for five years and taught Buddhism, Tibetan history, and Chinese religions. With Marvin Casper he co-edited Trungpa Rinpoche’s books, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism and The Myth of Freedom and published articles on Buddhist psychology and meditation.
John was dedicated to sharing his knowledge with the world at large, and from 1993–2000 John served as a board member, treasurer and president of the Boulder County Mental Health Center and served individuals as a life and executive coach. He also had 23 years’ experience in business, and in 1978, he and his father Ed Baker, co-founded Travel Industries Inc. He served as its CEO until 1999 when he and his brother sold the company to a Fortune 500 firm. Later, John was the co-founder and a principal teacher at the Westchester Buddhist Center in Irvington NY, and the New York Dharma Center in Manhattan. He then founded the online Buddhist Path of Awakening Course where he was the meditation instructor and co-teacher. John was especially passionate about the recognition of the nature of mind, relaxing within that, and having confidence in it.
John approached his death with acceptance and equanimity. His loving partner Valerie Robyn and daughter Cara Rich created an atmosphere of profound spiritual dignity in which John passed away. He expressed his love for his family and friends again and again throughout his illness.
John is survived by his partner Valerie Robin, his brother Steve Baker and wife Johanna Lunn, his two daughters Cara Rich and Olivia Baker, his son-in-law Vajra Rich, his granddaughter Stella Rich, his two nieces, Sabrina Baker and Kate Linsley, nephew, Winston Baker, and their families.
There will be a funeral and Celebration of Life at the Shambhala Center in Boulder. Date & time to be announced.
An Invitation to Practice with John’s Body: All who knew and remember John and his family are welcome to practice with John’s body at his house, located at 173 Gold Run Road in Boulder, tomorrow (Thursday, June 11th) between 11am and 3pm. Visitors can park at the church near John’s home – Little Church In The Pines (414 Gold Run Road).
The community is also invited to practice with John’s body at the Boulder Shambhala Center beginning at 1pm on Friday, June 12th.
John’s Sukhavati: There will be a funeral and Celebration of Life at the Boulder Shambhala Center in Boulder, located at 1345 Spruce Street in Boulder, on Friday, June 12th, 2026 at 4:30 pm. The service will also be streamed on Zoom for those who cannot attend in person. Please use the following link to join remotely on Friday:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 849 2456 0531
Passcode: 063471
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