Katherine A. Baker, age 93 of Keystone, passed away on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at Linden Court in North Platte.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 9th at the Gubser Funeral Chapel with Reverend Paul Kondy officiating. Inurnment will be in the Sutherland Cemetery.
Katherine was born June 6, 1919 at Pittsburg, PA, the daughter of George F. and Josephine (Ruelius) Whitnack. The family did a lot of traveling across the United States when she was a small child as her older sisters were each born in different states. Her family ran a restaurant in California and she attended school there. During the Depression the family moved to Missouri.
She was united in marriage to Albert Ira Baker on December 25, 1937 at Cabool, Missouri along with her oldest sister Elise in a double wedding. They moved to North Platte, NE and went to work for the Jim Calhoun family. To this union four children were born, the daughters were all born in North Platte and her son was born in Bell, CA while Albert was working in the shipyards there.
Katherine kept busy at home with her family until the children were all in school, then she worked outside the home. She was very active with the children’s Horse 4-H Club in North Platte, making homemade chili and sloppy joe sandwiches for their trail rides and homemade bread for the Bake Sales. After moving between California, Nebraska and Missouri, the family, on Election Day in 1948, moved back to North Platte from Cabool, Missouri and remained there until 1970 when she and Albert moved to Peggs, OK. Twenty years later they moved back to Nebraska settling in Keystone. After settling there she helped working mothers with their children, looking after them after school and also became a dog sitter for the area. All the kids knew where to go for treats as she made homemade jerky, which was loved by all and she made sure there were treats of some kind in the house for all.
She was a member of the Keystone Presbyterian Church and tried to attend services every Sunday when her health allowed.
Survivors include her daughters, Wanda (Chester) Binegar of Sutherland, NE, Janet (Raymond) Labit of Tulsa, OK and Lois (Leon) Jehorek of Paxton, NE; her son Clifford (Diana) Baker of Loveland, CO; 13 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and other family members and friends. Katherine was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two sisters and an infant brother.
A memorial has been established in her memory. Cremation was chosen and there will be no visitation. Online condolences may be sent at gubserfuneralhome.com. Gubser Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.