Ramón de Jesús Báez  was born November 29, 1938, in Turmequé, Boyaca, Colombia to Isauro Hermenias Báez Garzon and Zoyla Rosa Báez Lopez. His father was a dentist, and his mother was a teacher. Ramón also became a dentist, graduating and then teaching at his alma mater, Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia. That was also where he met his wife, Martha Ximena Marun. They married in 1967 and immigrated in 1968 to the United States.

Ramón had a passion for science, helping others, and playing the bandola. He worked for the American Dental Association (ADA) and had a dental practice in Chicago, Il. Ramón and Martha began raising their family in the suburban Chicago area and were part of the local Colombian and Hispanic community.

By 1980, the Báez’s moved to San Antonio, Texas and soon after resided in the city of Boerne, Texas. Both Ramón and Martha became faculty members at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio Dental School, and both achieved Masters degrees in Public Health. Ramón’s interest in this field led to his involvement in multiple dental national and international organizations. Most notably, he was President of the Hispanic Dental Association and was awarded their Recognition of Excellence Award. He also served as President of the Academy of Dentistry International and earned their International Dentist of the Year Award. Throughout his dental career, Ramón served as a consultant for the World Health Organization and authored standards on dental materials with the ADA.

In 2007, Dr. Báez retired as a Professor from the Department of General Dentistry at the UT Health Science Center. Even before his retirement, Ramón focused his talents on cooking, eventually starting a company, ‘Innovative Industries.’ and creating Delicacies Don Ramón. He produced salsa, jellies, bread, and spreads that he enjoyed selling in various farmer’s markets across the Texas Hill Country and online. He enjoyed tailoring his recipes to meet the unique needs of his customers. In 2022, Ramón was diagnosed with a terminal illness which he bravely fought.

In his final days, Ramón was supported by his loving wife, Martha; children: Luz Mery, William, Alexander, Ximena, Ramón and their spouses; grandchildren; his sister and extended family members.