Merry Beth Baker

Merry B. Baker, age 70, of South Beloit, passed away in the early morning hours of July 14, 2019 at Maplecrest Care Center in Belvidere, IL.  She was born December 13, 1948 to John Allan and Winifred Mae (Kimball) Martin in Manchester, IA. She graduated from West Delaware High School (Manchester, IA) in 1967 and was married to Richard Baker on February 1, 1972.  She attended Rock Valley College and received her associate’s degree at the age of 39. Merry worked in retail management with Ben Franklin stores in Richland Center, WI and Belvidere, IL, as well as Pranges/Younkers at CherryVale Mall. She, along with her husband, Richard, owned Brynwood Floral and Gifts in Rockford for several years in the late 1980's. She went on to work for AAI/Foster Grant and Del Monte as a regional trainer. After semi-retiring, she spent several years working for Comfort Keepers in Roscoe, IL.  

After moving to Belvidere, IL in 1978, she attended Calvary Baptist Church in Belvidere, where she was an Awana leader and learned sign-language to minister to the deaf. She later attended First Assembly of God in Rockford. For the last 13 years, Merry was most recently a member of Life Church in Roscoe, IL and helped in the church office folding bulletins.  She also graduated in June 2014 from the Life School of the Bible at Life Church.  

She enjoyed spending time with family and friends and participating in activities with her grandchildren.  She was an excellent seamstress and did many crafting projects – including ceramics, floral design and cake decorating.  

Merry was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister…she will be greatly missed by all.

Survivors include her step-children, Jeff Baker (Roxanne) Marshfield, WI and Karen Baker Ruppel (Charlie) Austin, MN, and children, Troy Lange (Heidi) Rockford, IL, Tracy Schmidt (Chris) Rockton, IL and Anne Robins (Barry) Blooming Prairie, MN; 5 granddaughters (Kayla, Casey, Haiyla, Grace and Molly); 4 grandsons (Austin, Ben, Zander and Tristan); 1 great-grandson (Hunter); and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, her parents and five siblings.

Funeral service will be at 12:00 noon with a Visitation from 10:30am until the service on Friday, July 19, 2019 in Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory-Roscoe Chapel, 11342 Main Street, Roscoe, IL 61073.  Graveside service at 3:00pm in Scandinavian Cemetery, 1700 Rural St., Rockford, IL 61107.  

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