She was the daughter of the late Walter Pierce and Phoebe Blackwell Pierce.
She was also preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Junior Baker; son, Gary Wayne Baker; grandson, Ricky Dean Gardner; brothers: Carl Pierce, James Pierce, Clifford Pierce and Oliver Pierce; and sisters: Tiny Sue Roberson, Louise Riddle and Francis Roberson.
She was the oldest member of Mount Zion New Covenant Church and was affectionately known to her church family as “Mamaw Baker.” She enjoyed singing, quilting and bluegrass music.
She is survived by her daughter, Brenda Baker Strickland of Cleveland; son, Frankie Baker and his wife, Kathy, of Georgetown; grandchildren: Gena Strickland and Sonny Strickland, both of Cleveland, Mandy Baker of Beaufort, S.C., Eddie Gardner of Mesa, Ariz., and Denny Gardner of Ooltewah; great-grandchildren: Kayla Piper, Tahnie Strickland, Myrakle Strickland, Dakkota Baker, Cheyenne Farmer, Ricky Dean Gardner Jr., Kelsey Gardner, Christian Gardner, Tristian Gardner, Zane Gardner, Madison Gardner; brother, Melvin Pierce of Georgia; sister, Ruby Collins and her husband, Wayne, of Georgia; and several nieces and nephews.
A Remembrance of Life service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011, at the Wildwood Avenue Chapel of Jim Rush Funeral Homes with the Revs. Ronnie Davis and Wallace Wright officiating.
Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens with Dakkota Baker, Mike Newman, Clyde Emerson Jr., Sonny Strickland, Rod Emerson and Jimmy Osborne serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearer will be Cameron Brown.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 9 this evening at the funeral home.
Please view and sign the guest book at www.jimrushfuneralhomes.com.
