Mary Beth Baxter

Mary Beth (Anderson) Baxter, 67, died at Cape Cod Hospital after complications recovering from heart surgery on June 15, 2011. Mary Beth was born in Buffalo, New York on November 17, 1943 to Benjamin H. and Martha J. Anderson and grew up in Syracuse, NY, Youngstown, OH, and Pittsburgh, PA. She graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1962 and Penn State University in art education in 1966. She married Donald W. Baxter in 1966 and raised her family in Northville, MI. Mary Beth was rarely without art supplies in her hands. She became an early American folk artist as an extension of her love of early American country life. She collected antique baskets, quilts, early American pottery and colonial furniture. She used these themes in her artwork. Mary Beths artwork and style became known throughout the country. Mary Beth was an active member in PEO, chapter EA, Questers, No. VI, Suburban Junior Womens Club, Alpha Xi Delta and Hospice volunteer. She loved playing bridge, gin rummy and dominos with her grandchildren. Mary Beth took great pleasure in life and loved musicals, antiquing, travel, talking to and learning about people, decorating her gift shop, gardening, lobster and living near the sea. One of Mary Beths greatest strengths was her entrepreneurial spirit. While raising her family in Michigan, Mary Beth began her own home-based business, Walnut Hill Crafts where she had a devoted following. Mary Beth sold her artwork by traveling around the country to primitive art shows. Mary Beth bravely took a great risk leaving Michigan and fulfilled her lifelong dream of moving to New England and settling in her paradise, Cape Cod. In 1991, she opened her first gift shop in Brewster called Mary Beths. Every day she painted at her easel looking out her window at an abandoned early American building. In 1994, an opportunity arose to purchase the building which had a long history with the Mayflower Hopkins family. She realized the new gift shop should be named the Hopkins House. Her daughter, Heather completed her baking degree and started the bakery in a building attached to the gift shop in 1995 followed by her daughter, Amy opening a garden antique shop. Mary Beths artistic eye and decorating sense transformed the Hopkins House Gift Shop, Bakery, and gardens into the Cape Cod destination it is today The greatest loves and joys of her life were her children and grandchildren. Mary Beth was a beautiful, caring, loving and generous human being. She enjoyed life to the fullest and was always interested in others. Mary Beth shared herself through her inexhaustible empathy, sympathy, a listening ear and her warm enveloping embrace. Mary Beths customers became her friends and they all have warm memories of her sitting in the corner of the bakery folding boxes or painting on her canvases. She greeted everyone with a warm smile and a hello. She touched thousands of lives with her warm sunny disposition and her generous nature. Mary Beth performed many selfless acts of kindness with her concern for others and diligently provided encouragement through letters and phone calls to countless family and friends. She is survived by her three sisters, Janice Gay McIndoe of Wyckoff, NJ, Lynette Sell of Pittsburgh, PA, and Martha Currie of Doylestown, PA, her two daughters, Heather Baxter and Amy Reiber and her husband Tom Reiber. She is also survived by her grandchildren Katherine Reiber, Molly Reiber and Benjamin Reiber and many nieces and nephews. Thank you Mom for your boundless love, support, laughter and joy. Thank you Mom for your creativity and love of gardens. Thank you Gam for your fun nature and your ability to care and laugh. Thank you Gam for listening and caring, teaching us how to paint, playing games and watching movies with us. Thank you mother for your shining light that illuminated the world around you, filled with love, kindness, caring, joy, friendship and your beautiful laughter. You will be missed each and every moment of everyday, but we are all better for knowing and loving you. A memorial service will be held September 24, 2011. The time and location will be posted at the Hopkins House at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation 1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311. Notes of comfort and condolence may be made to her family at www.morrisoconnorblute.com