Imogene S. Baker

Imogene Shepherd Baker passed away peacefully in her sleep early morning on January 25, 2011 at the age of 92 years. She is now joyfully walking the streets of heaven hand-in-hand with her husband of 58 years, Coley, who preceded her in death in January 2000.

Imogene was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1918 to Ira D. and Ola Ratliff Shepherd. She was one of eight children born on the family farm in Florence, Texas. As a child growing up in the Depression, she and her siblings worked along side their parents planting crops, picking cotton and tending the livestock. She learned to sew her own clothes and quilts. On February 25, 1942, she married Coley Baker who had joined the Army Air Corps. She followed Coley to Mitchell Field in Hempstead, New York and then on to Morris Field in Charlotte, North Carolina. After his discharge in 1945, they located in Austin, Texas.

In 1952, the family moved to Corpus Christi, Texas and along with the Roosevelts’, opened Roosevelt-Baker Photo Co. With hard work and dedication the business blossomed and at one time there were five stores located in various parts of the City. Her skill at photo restoration was recognized throughout the United States. After Coley passed away in 2000, Imogene continued to operate the business until failing health caused her to retire and close the business in December 2007.

In addition to her tireless efforts working side by side with her husband to make Roosevelt-Baker a success, she was first and foremost a kind, loving and devoted wife to Coley and mother to her daughter, Sandra McNorton, and to her son, Bennett A. Baker. There was nothing she couldn’t and wouldn’t do to make things better for her family. When finances were tough, she found a way to either sew it, mend it, build it and/or fix it. Having studied nutrition at the University of Texas, her cooking talents were widely known and her dinner table was often crowded with family and friends.

Imogene was a kind and loving friend to so many – her golfing friends, her many friends in Dr. Elmore’s Sunday School Class, her Roosevelt-Baker friends and employees, and her Ladies of Civitan friends. She was always the first to send a gift of food as appropriate and she never forgot a friend’s anniversary or birthday.

She had a love of golf, studied art, and was a member of the South Texas Traditional Artist Association. Her friends and family will always treasure her many and varied works.

After her first grandchild was born, Imogene became forever known as “Meme”. Words cannot adequately describe the joy her grandchildren brought her. Nor can they ever describe the love and devotion each of her grandchildren felt for her. Meme’s love of a practical joke will bring joy and laughter to her children and entire family for years to come.

Imogene is survived by her daughter Sandra, son Ben and his wife Beverly, her brother Carl Shepherd of Austin, Texas and sister Olene Stewart of Florence, Texas. She is also survived by her granddaughter, Lisa Peterson and Lisa’s husband Don, her granddaughter Dawn Stienecker of Houston, her grandsons Toby Baker of Washington D.C., Todd Baker (Stephanie) of Boston, MA, Zeke and Zachary Baker of Bethlehem, PA as well as five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 28, 2011, at the First Baptist Church of Corpus Christi with Rev. Steve Hartwick officiating and burial immediately following at Seaside Memorial Park.

The family would like to thank and express their appreciation to Patty Allen, Joan Jacobs, and Alma Jean with Vistacare Hospice for all their loving care. The family also thanks the entire staff at the Holmgreen Center with a very special thank you to fifth floor nurses Mary Lou, Sylvia, Terry, Allie, and Ruby whose diligence, skill, and caring spirits brought smiles to our Meme’s face.

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