Betty Lou (McDonald) Baker
BAKER, MCDONALD, HOUSE, SVENDSEN, HANKINS, GRUWELL, SNYDER, LUNDQUIST
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 3/24/2023 at 10:16:19
Betty Lou (McDonald) Baker, 97, of Iowa City passed away peacefully on Monday, March 20, 2023, at Crestview Care Center, surrounded by family.
Betty was born in Maryville, MO on December 24, 1925, daughter of Orville Earl McDonald and Edna May (House) McDonald. Betty married her hometown sweetheart, Foster Gail Baker, on August 14, 1948.
She attended Northwest Missouri State Teachers College in Maryville (now Northwest Missouri State University) for two years, studying early childhood education. She also pursued nurses training. Betty’s training served her well as she raised children over four decades, always insisting on reading to kids every night and encouraging self-reliance.
After marriage, she and Foster and their young family lived in various small towns in Missouri and Kansas before settling in Iowa City where they lived on Marcy Street for over 60 years.
Betty loved growing things and, over the years, tended many vegetable and flower gardens. She canned a large variety of vegetables, and made applesauce and grape juice. After raising her six children, she had time to pursue her love of flower gardening and transformed her yard into a beautiful color-filled retreat. When she became unable to tend her own gardens, she greatly enjoyed seeing her neighbors’ flowers and plants. Even in her last remaining days, she loved color, flowers, and babies.
Betty was involved in the Coralville United Methodist Church where she and Foster served as ushers, attended Bible studies and were regular parts of the prayer chain. She loved hosting the church’s Bookworms group. Betty was also part of the Stephen Lay Ministers.
The most impactful role of her life was as mom and grandma. She was always there for her children who, when the youngest was born, ranged in age from a few months to 15 years old. Her steady love, counseling, encouragement, teaching and enduring presence helped sustain a rather individualistic bunch of kids. By example, she taught her daughters and sons how to be solid parents to their own children. The home on Marcy Street was an anchor where grown children and grandchildren always felt welcomed, valued and loved.
Betty is survived by her six children: Stephen Baker, Diane Baker, and Cynthia Baker (all of Iowa City), April Baker (North Liberty), David Baker (Haslett, MI), Tracy (Julie) Baker (Davenport). She is also survived by her 10 grandchildren: Amy Baker (Rick) Svendsen (Rochester, MN), Mark Baker (Denver, CO), Kael (Kaitlin) Hankins (Ainsworth), Abbie Gruwell (Alexandria, VA), Kelda Hankins (Cedar Rapids), Benjamin Baker (North Liberty), Erik Hankins (Oxford), Clare Hankins (Iowa City), Daniel Baker (Haslett, MI) and Annette Baker (Davenport), plus four great-grandchildren: Parker and Carter Svendsen, and Odin and Quill Hankins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Burl McDonald and sister Glenadine (McDonald) Snyder, her beloved husband of 74 years, Foster Baker, and her daughter-in-law, Sue Lundquist Baker.
Betty and Foster are now together again.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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