Myrna J. (Johnson) BAKER

BAKER, JOHNSON, HICKSON, WOODS, DOLECKI, SMITH, CLEVELAND, MINOR, VANNIMWEGEN, UMSTEAD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/13/2006 at 18:17:40

Copyright, Sioux City Journal
13 December 2006

KINGSLEY, Iowa -- Myrna J. Baker, 78, of Kingsley died unexpectedly Saturday, Dec. 9, 2006, at a Sioux City hospital from complications with her eight-month struggle with cancer. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with the family present 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., at Rohde-Earnest Funeral Home in Kingsley. There will be a private family funeral service held at a later date.

Myrna Josephine Baker was born Feb. 4, 1928, in Dows, Iowa, the daughter of Oscar and Dena (Minor) Johnson. She attended country school in rural Dows, until her family moved to Minneapolis, Minn., where she graduated from high school in 1946. She married Ray E. Baker on Nov. 5, 1949, in Storm Lake, Iowa. They made their home in Storm Lake, Sergeant Bluff, Sioux City and most recently, in Kingsley, Iowa. Ray and Myrna spent their winters in Green Valley, Ariz. for the last 15 years. Those who knew and loved Myrna are well aware of her outgoing, loving personality that always brought light to any gathering or to any encounter of one on one. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting as well as cross stitch. She had been heard to say that her mission was to write letters, which many can vouch for, who were blessed to have received her delightful notes.

She is survived by her husband, Ray of Kingsley; three daughters, Babs Hickson and her husband, Bob of Sioux City, Tylene Woods and her husband, Bill of Sioux City and Wendy Dolecki and her husband, Doug of Richmond, Va.; eight grandchildren, Stephanie Smith and her husband, Mark of Sioux Falls, S.D., Brian Hickson and his wife, Stephanie of Sioux City, Laura Hickson of St. Paul, Minn., Damon Cleveland of Sioux City, Cory Cleveland and his wife, Jamie of Sioux City, Derek Woods of Sioux City and Danielle Dolecki and Brianna Dolecki, both of Richmond, Va.; six great-grandchildren, Kayleigh Cleveland, Braden Cleveland, Kodey Cleveland, Nathan Smith, Jacob Smith and Ellieanna Smith. Also surviving are two sisters, Doretta VanNimwegen of Green Valley, Ariz. and Delores Umstead of Eagle Grove, Iowa.In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorials be directed to Hospice of Siouxland.