Kay Luna of the Quad-City Times writes;
"Louise Baker spent the day sewing and sprucing up her little home in Davenport, where she still lived alone at the age of 100.
But her heart was giving out, despite the pacemaker she received during late October surgery.
She went to bed Wednesday, kissing her granddaughter good night and never woke up.
The spunky little lady known as "Ma" or "Grandma" - especially around Mary's on 2nd, a tavern run by her grandson, Bobby Stansberry - was found dead Thursday morning by her family.
"She went real peaceful," her grandson said later in the day. "She was lying there, just like we put her to bed."
A couple of months had passed since Baker sat on her favorite barstool at Mary's in Davenport's Rainbow District, where she liked to drink a few and visit with her grandson and other regulars who were like family to her.
In fact, she knew so many people at Mary's that her family threw a big bash there for her 99th birthday. Her well-wishers filled the place and spilled outside.
For her 100th birthday, they held a big party at the Eagles club on Locust Street in Davenport, where she was a member and honored in the Hall of Fame. She also was well-known around Friendly House and the Moose Lodge in Davenport.
But it was the special relationship she had with her three grandchildren - Stansberry, JoAnn Novitske and their sister, Debbie Stansberry - that got her featured in a front-page story in this newspaper on Mother's Day 2008.
In that story, Novitske, of Davenport, said she was 26 when her mother, Ora, died. Her grandmother, in her late 70s at the time, stepped in as "mother" to her and her siblings.
Stansberry said it was one of his sisters who tucked their grandmother into bed about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, telling her good night for the last time.
Baker, a widow since 1980, didn't want anyone to stay overnight with her. So one of the grandchildren would come back in the morning to make sure she was out of bed and doing OK.
Baker was the one who decided she should undergo heart surgery this fall, despite the risks, and she was bouncing back. She already was fixing her own meals, working on crafts and picking up the house again, Stansberry said.
"She was on the go," he said.
But her life had slowed down a bit. A few years ago, on her granddaughter's 40th birthday, Baker went out partying with the group until 2 a.m. without blinking an eye.
A year ago, sitting in her two-story house - where she climbed a steep staircase to reach her bedroom - "Grandma" laughed and talked about some of her favorite memories.
She said that eating a good supper, complete with meat, a vegetable and dessert every night, was what led to her long life.
"I've had a good life, too," she said."
MARRIED:
10/27/1927,
Davenport,
Scott Co., IA,
Luther 'Sadie' Baker,
- 1980
CHILDREN:
Robert M.,
(Katie) &
Ora Baker Stansberry,
11/3/1938 - 3/ /1987
"Louise Baker spent the day sewing and sprucing up her little home in Davenport, where she still lived alone at the age of 100.
But her heart was giving out, despite the pacemaker she received during late October surgery.
She went to bed Wednesday, kissing her granddaughter good night and never woke up.
The spunky little lady known as "Ma" or "Grandma" - especially around Mary's on 2nd, a tavern run by her grandson, Bobby Stansberry - was found dead Thursday morning by her family.
"She went real peaceful," her grandson said later in the day. "She was lying there, just like we put her to bed."
A couple of months had passed since Baker sat on her favorite barstool at Mary's in Davenport's Rainbow District, where she liked to drink a few and visit with her grandson and other regulars who were like family to her.
In fact, she knew so many people at Mary's that her family threw a big bash there for her 99th birthday. Her well-wishers filled the place and spilled outside.
For her 100th birthday, they held a big party at the Eagles club on Locust Street in Davenport, where she was a member and honored in the Hall of Fame. She also was well-known around Friendly House and the Moose Lodge in Davenport.
But it was the special relationship she had with her three grandchildren - Stansberry, JoAnn Novitske and their sister, Debbie Stansberry - that got her featured in a front-page story in this newspaper on Mother's Day 2008.
In that story, Novitske, of Davenport, said she was 26 when her mother, Ora, died. Her grandmother, in her late 70s at the time, stepped in as "mother" to her and her siblings.
Stansberry said it was one of his sisters who tucked their grandmother into bed about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, telling her good night for the last time.
Baker, a widow since 1980, didn't want anyone to stay overnight with her. So one of the grandchildren would come back in the morning to make sure she was out of bed and doing OK.
Baker was the one who decided she should undergo heart surgery this fall, despite the risks, and she was bouncing back. She already was fixing her own meals, working on crafts and picking up the house again, Stansberry said.
"She was on the go," he said.
But her life had slowed down a bit. A few years ago, on her granddaughter's 40th birthday, Baker went out partying with the group until 2 a.m. without blinking an eye.
A year ago, sitting in her two-story house - where she climbed a steep staircase to reach her bedroom - "Grandma" laughed and talked about some of her favorite memories.
She said that eating a good supper, complete with meat, a vegetable and dessert every night, was what led to her long life.
"I've had a good life, too," she said."
MARRIED:
10/27/1927,
Davenport,
Scott Co., IA,
Luther 'Sadie' Baker,
- 1980
CHILDREN:
Robert M.,
(Katie) &
Ora Baker Stansberry,
11/3/1938 - 3/ /1987
Kay Luna of the Quad-City Times writes;
"Louise Baker spent the day sewing and sprucing up her little home in Davenport, where she still lived alone at the age of 100.
But her heart was giving out, despite the pacemaker she received during late October surgery.
She went to bed Wednesday, kissing her granddaughter good night and never woke up.
The spunky little lady known as "Ma" or "Grandma" - especially around Mary's on 2nd, a tavern run by her grandson, Bobby Stansberry - was found dead Thursday morning by her family.
"She went real peaceful," her grandson said later in the day. "She was lying there, just like we put her to bed."
A couple of months had passed since Baker sat on her favorite barstool at Mary's in Davenport's Rainbow District, where she liked to drink a few and visit with her grandson and other regulars who were like family to her.
In fact, she knew so many people at Mary's that her family threw a big bash there for her 99th birthday. Her well-wishers filled the place and spilled outside.
For her 100th birthday, they held a big party at the Eagles club on Locust Street in Davenport, where she was a member and honored in the Hall of Fame. She also was well-known around Friendly House and the Moose Lodge in Davenport.
But it was the special relationship she had with her three grandchildren - Stansberry, JoAnn Novitske and their sister, Debbie Stansberry - that got her featured in a front-page story in this newspaper on Mother's Day 2008.
In that story, Novitske, of Davenport, said she was 26 when her mother, Ora, died. Her grandmother, in her late 70s at the time, stepped in as "mother" to her and her siblings.
Stansberry said it was one of his sisters who tucked their grandmother into bed about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, telling her good night for the last time.
Baker, a widow since 1980, didn't want anyone to stay overnight with her. So one of the grandchildren would come back in the morning to make sure she was out of bed and doing OK.
Baker was the one who decided she should undergo heart surgery this fall, despite the risks, and she was bouncing back. She already was fixing her own meals, working on crafts and picking up the house again, Stansberry said.
"She was on the go," he said.
But her life had slowed down a bit. A few years ago, on her granddaughter's 40th birthday, Baker went out partying with the group until 2 a.m. without blinking an eye.
A year ago, sitting in her two-story house - where she climbed a steep staircase to reach her bedroom - "Grandma" laughed and talked about some of her favorite memories.
She said that eating a good supper, complete with meat, a vegetable and dessert every night, was what led to her long life.
"I've had a good life, too," she said."
MARRIED:
10/27/1927,
Davenport,
Scott Co., IA,
Luther 'Sadie' Baker,
- 1980
CHILDREN:
Robert M.,
(Katie) &
Ora Baker Stansberry,
11/3/1938 - 3/ /1987
"Louise Baker spent the day sewing and sprucing up her little home in Davenport, where she still lived alone at the age of 100.
But her heart was giving out, despite the pacemaker she received during late October surgery.
She went to bed Wednesday, kissing her granddaughter good night and never woke up.
The spunky little lady known as "Ma" or "Grandma" - especially around Mary's on 2nd, a tavern run by her grandson, Bobby Stansberry - was found dead Thursday morning by her family.
"She went real peaceful," her grandson said later in the day. "She was lying there, just like we put her to bed."
A couple of months had passed since Baker sat on her favorite barstool at Mary's in Davenport's Rainbow District, where she liked to drink a few and visit with her grandson and other regulars who were like family to her.
In fact, she knew so many people at Mary's that her family threw a big bash there for her 99th birthday. Her well-wishers filled the place and spilled outside.
For her 100th birthday, they held a big party at the Eagles club on Locust Street in Davenport, where she was a member and honored in the Hall of Fame. She also was well-known around Friendly House and the Moose Lodge in Davenport.
But it was the special relationship she had with her three grandchildren - Stansberry, JoAnn Novitske and their sister, Debbie Stansberry - that got her featured in a front-page story in this newspaper on Mother's Day 2008.
In that story, Novitske, of Davenport, said she was 26 when her mother, Ora, died. Her grandmother, in her late 70s at the time, stepped in as "mother" to her and her siblings.
Stansberry said it was one of his sisters who tucked their grandmother into bed about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, telling her good night for the last time.
Baker, a widow since 1980, didn't want anyone to stay overnight with her. So one of the grandchildren would come back in the morning to make sure she was out of bed and doing OK.
Baker was the one who decided she should undergo heart surgery this fall, despite the risks, and she was bouncing back. She already was fixing her own meals, working on crafts and picking up the house again, Stansberry said.
"She was on the go," he said.
But her life had slowed down a bit. A few years ago, on her granddaughter's 40th birthday, Baker went out partying with the group until 2 a.m. without blinking an eye.
A year ago, sitting in her two-story house - where she climbed a steep staircase to reach her bedroom - "Grandma" laughed and talked about some of her favorite memories.
She said that eating a good supper, complete with meat, a vegetable and dessert every night, was what led to her long life.
"I've had a good life, too," she said."
MARRIED:
10/27/1927,
Davenport,
Scott Co., IA,
Luther 'Sadie' Baker,
- 1980
CHILDREN:
Robert M.,
(Katie) &
Ora Baker Stansberry,
11/3/1938 - 3/ /1987
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