Gretchen Baker
courtesy photo
Gretchen Baker
RONAN — Gretchen Ann Daley Baker was born on Aug. 28, 1928, at Mrs. Culbertson’s Birthing Home in Kalispell, to Glen and Pauline Daley of Rollins. She passed into the loving arms of Jesus on Aug. 31, 2023, at the age of 95.
Gretchen grew up in Rollins with her younger sisters, Lois and Glenda. The Daley girls had many adventures with the Daley and Vinson cousins. Gretchen attended elementary school in Rollins and in 1946 she graduated from Polson High School. Education was important to Gretchen; she attended Montana State College in Bozeman and would later enjoy telling stories of her time there.
Gretchen returned home to the Rollins area where she was reconnected with her childhood friend Mury Baker. Gretchen and Mury were married in 1951 and they started their family in nearby Proctor. In 1956, they purchased a farm that would become the Baker Dairy and relocated the family west of Ronan to the Round Butte Community.
Gretchen was an active farm wife assisting in all the chores from stacking hay and delivering lambs and calves to gardening and milking cows. She prepared many a meal with her loving hands for the haying and shearing crews.
Gretchen was an active member of the local Sew & So Woman’s Club and spent many hours with the ladies crafting quilts to raffle for donations to worthy causes. Gretchen was a member of the Ronan and Mission Valley United Methodist Church for decades, where she sang in the choir for as long as she was able.
Gretchen spent the last eight and one-half years of her life as an active resident of St. Luke Extended Care Facility where she was very social and loved by residents and staff alike.
Gretchen was preceded in death by her husband, Mury; two sons, Glen and Jack; and sister Lois Buck. Her son, Jack, was a casualty of the Vietnam conflict making her a Gold Star mother. She participated in many Veterans Day remembrances.
Gretchen is survived by three children, Barry Baker (Shirley) of Ronan, Laurie Boyd (Greg) of Missoula and Jeanine Simons (Allen) of Seeley Lake; five grandchildren, Wade Baker, Kristy Harwell, Daniel Smith, Matthew Baker, and Joey Boyd; and three great-grandchildren, Myles Harwell, Nora Harwell, and Leo Boyd; as well as nieces and nephews.
Services are planned for Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the Mission Valley United Methodist Church on Post Creek Hill. In lieu of flowers, family requests memorials to St. Luke Foundation or a charity of the donor’s choice. Messages of condolences may be shared with the family online at: www.shriderthompson.com.
Arrangements are under the care of Shrider-Thompson Funeral Home.
