Mary Lou Baker

 

Mary Lou Sizemore Baker, 74 of Navarre Beach, Fl, passed away after a short but fierce battle with lung cancer on November 6, 2023, at home surrounded by her family.  Mary was born on October 28, 1949, in Hyden, Kentucky.  She lived there until 1972 when she relocated to Niceville, Florida with her husband. 

Mary Lou married Terry Baker on November 7, 1970, after a whirlwind courtship and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary before his passing in 2021.  Mary was a wonderful mother who raised two children who knew how lucky they were to have her.

Mary retired from Okaloosa Walton Community College in 2011 after 39 years as a part of the Arts Department.  During her time with the college, Mary developed relationships that were so important to her, and she was often referred to as “Momma Lou” by the students in the Arts Department.  She maintained many of those relationships until the time of her passing.

After her retirement, Mary discovered a love of baking and a true gift for quilting.  She loved nothing more than spending time trying to recreate the dishes on her favorite baking show, “The Great British Baking Show” or attending quilting shows and getting lost in fabric stores for hours.   Mary had a lifelong love of reading that she shared with her husband and passed along to both her children. She could often be found curled up in a good book.  

After the loss of her husband, Mary rescued a chihuahua that she named Baby whom she spoiled and adored. He was her constant and faithful companion. 

Mary was preceded in death by her beloved husband Terry Baker, her mother and stepfather Nora and Charles Rutledge, her father Carl Sizemore and her oldest grandchild, Jacob Demler.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Nora Baker Stout of Dallas, TX and son and daughter in law, Virgil and Crici Baker or French Creek, WVA.   Mary has six living grandchildren, Katherine Baker August, Alura Sarnecki, Logen Baker, Joshua Baker Lawson, Jarrod Baker Lawson, and Kristopher Baker.  She was also blessed with a much-anticipated great granddaughter, Elizabeth August.