Neva Gilbert Baker entered into rest July 26, 2006.

She was born in Waltonville July 18, 1908, to Alva S. and Inez Fairchild Gilbert. She resided in San Antonio, Texas.

Mrs. Baker attended grade and high school in Waltonville and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Business College in Centralia.

She married Julius Gee Baker Dec. 5, 1930. Their life changed in 1943 when Mr. Baker, a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force, volunteered for service in the Army Air Force. Mrs. Baker went with her husband if possible during his 20 years of military service. They celebrated 50 years of marriage Dec. 5, 1980. Mr. Baker preceded Mrs. Baker in death Jan. 13, 1981.

Mrs. Baker taught school - grades 1-10 - for 20 years. During World War II, she worked for Civil Service and the Internal Revenue Service. After the war, she did secretarial work at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, and McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. She studied piano and organ and attended the famous Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris, France. She also studied French while living in Paris and German while living on Rhein Main Air Force Base in Germany. Mrs. Baker's hobbies were music - piano and organ, oil painting and various crafts. She made elaborate Christmas handicrafts - tree skirts, table covers and Christmas decorations.

Mrs. Baker leaves a worldwide network of friends and a cousin, Lt. Col. (Retired) Helen Wells of San Antonio, Texas.

Her sister, Anita Holloway, preceded her in death Oct. 28, 1998.

Memorial services were held July 28 at The Towers, One Park Lane in San Antonio, Texas. Graveside services will be held 10 a.m. Monday at Knob Prairie Cemetery in Waltonville, with the Rev. John Clark officiating and under the direction of the Newell Funeral Home in Waltonville. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Odyssey Hospice, 4415 Piedras Drive West No. 100, San Antonio, TX 78228. You may sign the guest book at www.porterloring.com. Arrangements are with Porter-Loring Funeral Home, 1101 McCullough Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212, where you may call (210) 227-8221 for further information.

Source: Register-News, Mt Vernon IL
Date: July 29, 2006
Submitted by: Robert W. Loman