Alta Eunice Baker

ALTA EUNICE (LONG, JONES) BAKER OF RIDGEDALE, MO PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON MARCH 4TH, 2026. CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICES WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT LATER DATE.

EUNICE, AS SHE WAS CALLED UNTIL LATER IN LIFE, GAVE HER HEART TO THE LORD AT AN EARLY AGE. SHE WAS BLESSED TO EXPERIENCE A VISION OF HEAVEN WHILE BEING BAPTIZED. THIS HELPED FORM THE FOUNDATION OF JESUS CHRIST AND HER WALK WITH HIM. SHE INSTILLED THIS FAITH IN HER CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN.
HER WALK WITH THE LORD WAS PERSONAL AND UNIQUE AND OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD BY OTHERS. IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL FOR HER TO REACH OUT AND HELP THOSE SHE SAW IN NEED. HELPING WITH CLOTHING, FOOD, MEDICATION, HOUSING OR WHATEVER THE NEED WAS. SHE WAS BLESSED AND SHARED HER BLESSINGS. SHE WAS KNOWN FOR HER GIVING HEART AND PRAISING GOD FOR HER BLESSINGS.

SHE WAS A MEMBER OF GENERAL BAPTIST CHURCH WHILE HER CHILDREN WERE GROWING UP BUT LATER PROFESSING NON-DENOMINATIONAL AS HER BELIEF.

SHE WAS BORN TO SIMON AND BEATRICE (BOND) LONG, APRIL 12TH, 1941 IN DUGGINSVILLE, MO. SHE ATTENDED DUGGINSVILLE/LUTIE ELEMENTARY AND GAINESVILLE HIGH, GAINSVILLE, MO.

SHE WAS UNITED IN MARRIAGE TO NORVAL JONES OF LUTIE, MO. ON OCTOBER 25, 1957. DEBRA GALE AND KENNETH GENE WERE BORN OF THIS MARRIAGE. THEY MOVED TO SPRINGFIELD, MO WHERE SHE WAS EMPLOYED BY RAMEYS SUPERMARKET AS A SKILLED MEAT WRAPPER. EUNICE WRAPPED MEAT FOR 30 YEARS BEFORE RETIRING.

ALTHOUGH THE MARRIAGE TO NORVAL ENDED THE LOVE FOR HER CHILDREN REMAINED. SHE TOOK PRIDE IN KNOWING SHE COULD PROVIDE AND HELP GIVE HER CHILDREN A GOOD LIFE. EUNICE MET GARY ETSEL BAKER AND THEY MARRIED ON AUGUST 13, 1976. THE MARRIAGE LASTING 48 YEARS LEAVING HER A WIDOW AT GARY'S PASSING ON NOVEMBER 14, 2024.

SHE ENJOYED LIFE WITH GARY, LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST, SHE HAD A TRAVELING GYPSY SPIRIT ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW ADVENTURE, MOVING 31 TIMES, LIVING IN VARIOUS REGIONS OF MISSOURI. THEY SHAREED A LOVE THAT VERY FEW FIND, ALWAYS CLAIMING THE BLESSINGS OF GOD.

SHE WAS THE SOLE CAREGIVER TO HER LATE HUSBAND GARY FOR THREE YEARS, SHE DREW STRENGTH FROM READING HER BIBLE, YOU WOULD OFTEN FIND HER SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES BEFORE THE BREAKING OF DAWN. EUNICE READ HER BIBLE UNTIL HAVING A STROKE WHICH THEN HINDERED HER THOUGHT PROCESS AND THE DIMMING OF HER EYES.

AFTER GARY'S PASSING EUNICE MOVED TO WILLARD CARE CENTER, RESIDING IN MEMORY CARE. SHE ASKED ALMOST DAILY ABOUT GARY, SOMEDAYS WAITING ON HIM TO PICK HER UP. HE WAS THE LOVE OF HER LIFE AND MADE HER COMPLETE.

SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER LATE HUSBAND GARY, HER PARENTS SIMON AND BEATRICE LONG, HER BROTHER OTTIE LONG, HER SISTER ERMA LEE SANDERS, HER GRANDDAUGHTER AMY RENEE' HOLT. HER FORMER HUSBAND NORVAL. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER ELDEST SISTER AVA PETTET. DAUGHTER DEBRA AND HER HUSBAND JOE, SON KENNY JONES AND FIANCE' SHAWNDA, GRANDCHILDREN AMANDA JONES, ASHLEY JEAN POOLE AND HUSBAND MATT, ALLISON JONES, GREAT GRANDCHILDREN ANGELINA STOVER, ASPEN HOLT AND FIANCE' JADE, ASHLAND HOLT AND WIFE TIFFANY, JAXON MUMFORD, LONDYN MUMFORD, TWO GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, ADELYN RENEE' HOLT AND NOLAN ATLAS STONE. SEVERAL NIECES AND NEPHEWS.

THE FAMILY OF ALTA EUNICE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE STAFF AT WILLARD CARE CENTER, WILLARD, MISSOURI, THE TANEY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND TO ALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR YOUR PRAYERS, HUGS AND SUPPORT.