Neva Kathleen Baker, age 100, went to meet her Lord on January 19, 2018 at Wheat State Manor, Whitewater, KS. Kathleen was born on July 9, 1917 in Parker, Kansas to Charles Edgar Ross and Agnes Lynette (McCollam) Ross of Blue Mound, KS. For her first 6 years, Kathleen lived in Parker and started school there. Then the family moved to Centerville where she resided until the age of 16. At that time she went to live with and work for Wallace and Jane McCaslin from 1934-1941. During that time she also worked at the Kincaid Bank for two years, 1938 to 1939. On October 9, 1942 Kathleen married Raymond Charles Baker in Iola, KS. They lived together on a farm 1 mile south and 1 mile west of Blue Mound for 34 years. There were no children of this marriage. Raymond was blind so much of the farming fell to Kathleen. She drove the tractor and farmed with the help of other family members. In addition to farming they also had a dairy operation. Kathleen was a member of the Rebekah Lodge in Blue Mound since 1942. In 1976 they retired from farming and milking. They bought a 5th wheel camper trailer and began their snowbird adventures. Kathleen pulled that trailer from Kansas to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas every winter for the next 21 years. Raymond and Kathleen enjoyed their life as snowbirds and made many lasting friendships over those years. In 1980 they sold the farm and bought a house in Blue Mound. They lived there together until Raymond's passing on June 18, 2003 after 61 years of marriage. Kathleen continued to live there alone until 2007 when she sold the house and moved to Calvary Crossing Apartments in Fort Scott, KS. Calvary Crossing was then her home until her health began to fail in the spring of 2017. So on May 18, 2017 she moved from her apartment to Wheat State Manor, Whitewater, KS to be near her niece Eleanor Smith. She remained there at Wheat State Manor until her passing on January 19, 2018. Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents Charles and Agnes Ross; her brother Mac Ross; her sister Luella Sanders, and her husband Raymond Baker. She is survived by six nieces, and one nephew, Eleanor (Dan) Smith of Potwin, KS (formerly of Blue Mound), Helen Aggers, Blue Mound, Kay Foster, Mary Kartcheske, Lorene Russel, Willis Ross, and Winnie Deiter all of King City, MO; numerous great-nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews and several great-great-great nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be Monday, April 23, 2018 at 3:00 pm at Blue Mound Federated Church, Blue Mound, KS. Visitation will be from 2:00 pm to service time at the church. The family suggests contributions to Wheat State Manor in care the funeral home, P.O. Box J, Mound City, Kansas 66056. On line condolences for the family can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com. Arrangements: Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Mound City Chapel.
Visitation Details
Monday, April 23rd, 2018 2:00pm - 3:00pm, Blue Mound Federated Church
Service Information
Monday, April 23rd, 2018 3:00pm, Blue Mound Federated Church
Interment Details
Sunny Slope Cemetery