Jo Anne Baker (Skelton) was born on December 9th, 1932 in Warner, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of four children and was born at home as was fairly typical in the difficult times of the Great Depression. Her parents were part owners of a cafe and truck stop on what was then Route 66. It was a humble beginning but the people she came from were hard working. Nobody in her family lacked for basic necessities during a time when many did.
Fortunately, she was not among those whose circumstances dictated they forsake school in order to help put food on the table. It would have been a waste of scholastic potential - she was a "straight A" student. Even so, she had to settle for being designated "salutatorian" upon graduating from junior high school. The valedictorian was Robert Reed who eventually became the actor who played, among other roles, the part of Mike Brady in the TV sitcom, "The Brady Bunch". The Reeds later moved away from Warner, though, and Jo Anne achieved the designation of "valedictorian" upon graduation from high school.
After attending Connors Junior College (now a four year State college) she transferred to Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Ok.
She earned a Bachelor's degree in English there and, during that time, met William (Bill) Gerald Baker.
They would eventually be married on December 26th, 1953 in Warner, Oklahoma.
Three children eventually came along, during which time, Jo Anne was a full time mother and homemaker. Not until her kids were grown did she dust off her degree and begin teaching school when she and Bill were living in Memphis, Tennessee. They would live for a time in Portland, Oregon as well as Georgetown, Texas and Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
The move to Tahlequah was mostly motivated by the fact that there were now 7 grandchildren, all of whom lived in eastern Oklahoma. It's probably the case that, of all that she'd been - student, wife, homemaker, mother, teacher - the role of "grandmother" seemed to be one of the most gratifying. A lot of time was spent knitting, crocheting, quiltmaking, baking, etc. with her granddaughters (grandsons too when they could be enticed) as well as time spent at a rented cabin on Lake Tenkiller which Jo Anne, Bill, and all of the grandkids immensely enjoyed.
Sadly, Bill Baker, her husband of nearly 63 years, passed away in late 2017.
She lived for a time with her only daughter in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and subsequently at a private assisted living center in Tahlequah.
She passed away at 90 years of age on May 4th, 2023 at Walnut Grove Living Center in McAlester, Oklahoma where she had been undergoing physical therapy.
Jo Anne is survived by her three children - Kevin Baker and his wife, Karen of McAlester, Ok., Gregory Baker of Edinburgh, Scotland, and
Holly Baker of Tahlequah, Ok. There were 7 grandchildren, Gareth, Katherine, Samuel, Shelby, Brooklyn, Joseph, and Summer Baker, all of McAlester, Ok.
"Auntie Jo" will also be missed and fondly remembered by 5 nieces and 3 nephews residing in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Arkansas."
Fortunately, she was not among those whose circumstances dictated they forsake school in order to help put food on the table. It would have been a waste of scholastic potential - she was a "straight A" student. Even so, she had to settle for being designated "salutatorian" upon graduating from junior high school. The valedictorian was Robert Reed who eventually became the actor who played, among other roles, the part of Mike Brady in the TV sitcom, "The Brady Bunch". The Reeds later moved away from Warner, though, and Jo Anne achieved the designation of "valedictorian" upon graduation from high school.
After attending Connors Junior College (now a four year State college) she transferred to Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Ok.
She earned a Bachelor's degree in English there and, during that time, met William (Bill) Gerald Baker.
They would eventually be married on December 26th, 1953 in Warner, Oklahoma.
Three children eventually came along, during which time, Jo Anne was a full time mother and homemaker. Not until her kids were grown did she dust off her degree and begin teaching school when she and Bill were living in Memphis, Tennessee. They would live for a time in Portland, Oregon as well as Georgetown, Texas and Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
The move to Tahlequah was mostly motivated by the fact that there were now 7 grandchildren, all of whom lived in eastern Oklahoma. It's probably the case that, of all that she'd been - student, wife, homemaker, mother, teacher - the role of "grandmother" seemed to be one of the most gratifying. A lot of time was spent knitting, crocheting, quiltmaking, baking, etc. with her granddaughters (grandsons too when they could be enticed) as well as time spent at a rented cabin on Lake Tenkiller which Jo Anne, Bill, and all of the grandkids immensely enjoyed.
Sadly, Bill Baker, her husband of nearly 63 years, passed away in late 2017.
She lived for a time with her only daughter in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and subsequently at a private assisted living center in Tahlequah.
She passed away at 90 years of age on May 4th, 2023 at Walnut Grove Living Center in McAlester, Oklahoma where she had been undergoing physical therapy.
Jo Anne is survived by her three children - Kevin Baker and his wife, Karen of McAlester, Ok., Gregory Baker of Edinburgh, Scotland, and
Holly Baker of Tahlequah, Ok. There were 7 grandchildren, Gareth, Katherine, Samuel, Shelby, Brooklyn, Joseph, and Summer Baker, all of McAlester, Ok.
"Auntie Jo" will also be missed and fondly remembered by 5 nieces and 3 nephews residing in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Arkansas."
Jo Anne Baker (Skelton) was born on December 9th, 1932 in Warner, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of four children and was born at home as was fairly typical in the difficult times of the Great Depression. Her parents were part owners of a cafe and truck stop on what was then Route 66. It was a humble beginning but the people she came from were hard working. Nobody in her family lacked for basic necessities during a time when many did.
Fortunately, she was not among those whose circumstances dictated they forsake school in order to help put food on the table. It would have been a waste of scholastic potential - she was a "straight A" student. Even so, she had to settle for being designated "salutatorian" upon graduating from junior high school. The valedictorian was Robert Reed who eventually became the actor who played, among other roles, the part of Mike Brady in the TV sitcom, "The Brady Bunch". The Reeds later moved away from Warner, though, and Jo Anne achieved the designation of "valedictorian" upon graduation from high school.
After attending Connors Junior College (now a four year State college) she transferred to Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Ok.
She earned a Bachelor's degree in English there and, during that time, met William (Bill) Gerald Baker.
They would eventually be married on December 26th, 1953 in Warner, Oklahoma.
Three children eventually came along, during which time, Jo Anne was a full time mother and homemaker. Not until her kids were grown did she dust off her degree and begin teaching school when she and Bill were living in Memphis, Tennessee. They would live for a time in Portland, Oregon as well as Georgetown, Texas and Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
The move to Tahlequah was mostly motivated by the fact that there were now 7 grandchildren, all of whom lived in eastern Oklahoma. It's probably the case that, of all that she'd been - student, wife, homemaker, mother, teacher - the role of "grandmother" seemed to be one of the most gratifying. A lot of time was spent knitting, crocheting, quiltmaking, baking, etc. with her granddaughters (grandsons too when they could be enticed) as well as time spent at a rented cabin on Lake Tenkiller which Jo Anne, Bill, and all of the grandkids immensely enjoyed.
Sadly, Bill Baker, her husband of nearly 63 years, passed away in late 2017.
She lived for a time with her only daughter in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and subsequently at a private assisted living center in Tahlequah.
She passed away at 90 years of age on May 4th, 2023 at Walnut Grove Living Center in McAlester, Oklahoma where she had been undergoing physical therapy.
Jo Anne is survived by her three children - Kevin Baker and his wife, Karen of McAlester, Ok., Gregory Baker of Edinburgh, Scotland, and
Holly Baker of Tahlequah, Ok. There were 7 grandchildren, Gareth, Katherine, Samuel, Shelby, Brooklyn, Joseph, and Summer Baker, all of McAlester, Ok.
"Auntie Jo" will also be missed and fondly remembered by 5 nieces and 3 nephews residing in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Arkansas."
Fortunately, she was not among those whose circumstances dictated they forsake school in order to help put food on the table. It would have been a waste of scholastic potential - she was a "straight A" student. Even so, she had to settle for being designated "salutatorian" upon graduating from junior high school. The valedictorian was Robert Reed who eventually became the actor who played, among other roles, the part of Mike Brady in the TV sitcom, "The Brady Bunch". The Reeds later moved away from Warner, though, and Jo Anne achieved the designation of "valedictorian" upon graduation from high school.
After attending Connors Junior College (now a four year State college) she transferred to Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Ok.
She earned a Bachelor's degree in English there and, during that time, met William (Bill) Gerald Baker.
They would eventually be married on December 26th, 1953 in Warner, Oklahoma.
Three children eventually came along, during which time, Jo Anne was a full time mother and homemaker. Not until her kids were grown did she dust off her degree and begin teaching school when she and Bill were living in Memphis, Tennessee. They would live for a time in Portland, Oregon as well as Georgetown, Texas and Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
The move to Tahlequah was mostly motivated by the fact that there were now 7 grandchildren, all of whom lived in eastern Oklahoma. It's probably the case that, of all that she'd been - student, wife, homemaker, mother, teacher - the role of "grandmother" seemed to be one of the most gratifying. A lot of time was spent knitting, crocheting, quiltmaking, baking, etc. with her granddaughters (grandsons too when they could be enticed) as well as time spent at a rented cabin on Lake Tenkiller which Jo Anne, Bill, and all of the grandkids immensely enjoyed.
Sadly, Bill Baker, her husband of nearly 63 years, passed away in late 2017.
She lived for a time with her only daughter in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and subsequently at a private assisted living center in Tahlequah.
She passed away at 90 years of age on May 4th, 2023 at Walnut Grove Living Center in McAlester, Oklahoma where she had been undergoing physical therapy.
Jo Anne is survived by her three children - Kevin Baker and his wife, Karen of McAlester, Ok., Gregory Baker of Edinburgh, Scotland, and
Holly Baker of Tahlequah, Ok. There were 7 grandchildren, Gareth, Katherine, Samuel, Shelby, Brooklyn, Joseph, and Summer Baker, all of McAlester, Ok.
"Auntie Jo" will also be missed and fondly remembered by 5 nieces and 3 nephews residing in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Arkansas."
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