Helen Rosezetta Baker, age 84, of Lovilia, died Saturday, December 12, 2015 under hospice care at Monroe County Hospital in Albia, Iowa.
She was born April 12, 1931 to Otto and Beulah (Adams) Corrick in Grinnell, Iowa. Helen went to school in Keswick and graduated with the class of 1949. She then attended AIB for one year and went to work for Look Magazine in Des Moines. Helen and Merrill LeRoy Baker were married June 19,1954 at Trinity United Methodist church in Albia. They shared 59 years of marriage before Merrill passed away. They were blessed with five children: Kevin, Jolinda, Kim, Jeff, and Brian.
After marriage she was a homemaker and worked ten years for Chamberlains in Albia. She enjoyed sports and watching her children and grandchildren in their sports.
Helen was an award winning basketball player and set the state scoring record for high school basketball. As a freshman she played as a guard and as a sophomore she scored 101 points in a game in 25 minutes. She was referred to as “Corky” and “the Keswick Flash”. After high school she played basketball for Look Magazine and at AIB where she was named All American. In 1978 Helen was inducted into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Hall of Fame.
Surviving are her five children: Kevin (Jane Sinnott) Baker of Albia, Jolinda (Ed) Wilson of Lovilia, Kim (Steve) Haluska of Decorah, Jeff (Jamie)Baker of Ankeny, and Brian Baker of Cedar Falls, and a special nephew, Greg (Holly) Shelford of Knoxville. She is also survived by ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren, her brother Richard of Adel, and five sister-in-laws: Betty Baker of Des Moines, Hazel Baker of Albia, Norma Barnes of Lovilia, Gayle Hastings of Lovilia, and Lola (Bob) Ivins of Albia.
Preceding her in death were her husband, her parents, brother Gerald, sister Thelma, sister Joyce, and granddaughter Brooklyn Kamerick.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Albia. A private family burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Lovilia at a later date.
Visitation will be 12-8 pm. Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at Tharp Funeral Home in Albia. Helen’s family will be present from 4:30-8 p.m.
Memorials may be made to Welcome Home Soldier or to the Southeast Iowa Kidney Foundation. May she rest in peace.
St. Peter’s Pot Luck
After mass Sunday, Dec. 13th, parishioners were entertained at Father Pat Lumsden’s rectory with a Christmas potluck. Twenty four people enjoyed the meal and fellowship and each was given a pretty Hallmark ornament by Gerald and Bev Sofranko.
United Methodist Party and Special Services
Wednesday, Dec.16th will be a K-8th grade Christmas party from 3:30pm-5 p.m. Food and activities for children who attend.
Candlelight services will be Christmas Eve at 6:30 p.m. for everyone.
Santa Claus makes a stop in Lovilia
Santa is making a stop on Christmas eve at 6 p.m. at the Lovilia Community Building. All children are invited to stop by and visit with Santa. HOHOHO.
Blood Donor Drive in Lovilia Dec. 28th
Donors may give blood Dec. 28th, Monday from 3-6:30 p.m. at the Lovilia Community Building. New donors are welcome. Just stop in with a picture ID and they will help you learn to be a donor.
January 11, Monday, Festival planning and Community Planning
5 p.m. Sadie Dykstra will chair the first meeting of the year to plan the Lovilia Fall Festival. Everyone is welcome to come help with the plans and committee work.
Following this meeting will be a Community Betterment meeting to make some long range plans and goals for Lovilia town improvements. Again, everyone is welcome to come with ideas and suggestions for making Lovilia a better place to live. This meeting will be a brain storming meeting. So if you have ideas big or small to improve the town bring them to the meeting. If you cannot attend but have an idea, please call Susan Beary at 946-7952.