Karen L. Baker

Karen Lou Baker, 81, was born October 3, 1942 in Bremen, to Ernest and Mildred (Yockey) Davis.  Karen was the oldest of three sisters. Marilyn, from Plymouth, preceded her in death, and the baby, Lanetia Christner, lives in Warsaw.  Her sister/cousin, Joyce (Jim) Reed, lived just next door. Growing up on a dairy farm, she helped her parents with dairy cattle, gardening, and other duties, while maintaining her studies and becoming the Salutatorian of her graduating class.  After high school, she went to the South Bend College of Commerce for 2 years, graduating with a Business Degree. It’s there, she began her work career at Starr Accounting, later becoming Starr and Wildaur, then, Anderson & Co., and finally when she was retiring, The Accounting Firm.  Karen was with the accounting firm for over 40 years, finally retiring from there.  She was a staple figure when people came in for their taxes, or other necessities. While growing up in Bremen, she met the future love of her life, Richard E Baker.  Richard was also of a farming family, went to the same church and actually met Karen in 3rd grade.  Karen and Richard became an item in high school, and eventually married on September 22, 1962.  They lived on 4th Road, until building their dream home on Plymouth-Goshen Trail in 2004.  Avid Angus cattle and crop farmers, Karen always enjoyed watching the cows from the window of their home.  She and Richard would walk in the pasture with the cows almost nightly, making sure everything was ok, but to take the time for each other and catch up on the day. Then, in 1971, along came Kristen Elizabeth. Their only child, she would be “the best daughter ever”, according to Karen.  She would follow her parents around, growing up in the country, learning many things from Karen and Richard.  Kristen would encompass the gentleness, sweetness, kindness and empathy from her mom.  She would also learn to sing and play piano from Karen.  Karen was a fighter, surviving Pancreatic Cancer from 2013 to 2024.  Becoming a forced Diabetic, she accepted her condition as it was, knowing she would be alive to see many more years to come. She also took care of Richard while he had Parkinson’s disease and Addison’s disease.  Her patience and grace, with her faith in God, helped her take each day as it came, never wavering from her spunky self, or showing signs of tiredness.  She was a warrior.  Karen became a grandmother in August of 1991, to Michelle Elizabeth, and then again in September of 1994, to Brett Allen.  She then gained more grandchildren in 2006, Hayley, Jacob, Sophia, and Olivia, then gained one more, Morgan in 2007.  She was also a Great-Grandmother to Brian, Kaiden, Addilyn, and Piper.  Karen also had many other “adopted” grandchildren and great-grandchildren, too many to mention but she loved them all the same.  What Grandma wanted and said, is what Grandma got! Karen loved to read, word searches, mowing her lawn, gardening, playing piano, singing, and being with family.  She loved her cat, Missy, and enjoyed her company when she finally sat down from the day. Karen is survived by her daughter, Kristen (Josh) Walker, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her husband Richard, sister Marilyn, and her parents.  Memorial contributions to the Pancreatic Cancer Foundation are greatly appreciated. Viewing for Karen is Friday, July 26, 4-7pm and the Funeral is Saturday, July 27 at 10am, Mishler’s Funeral Home, Bremen. Burial is at Bremen Cemetery.