Virginia Eve Baker

Virginia Eve (Wood) Baker, 79, passed away the 27th day of June 2023, at Fort Wayne Lutheran Hospital. Her death was unexpected. She was born 24 December 1943, in Elwood Indiana, to Warren Willard Wood and Clare Belle (Johnson) Wood.

Eve is survived by her husband, Everett E Baker of Fort Wayne.

Daughter: Julie Elizabeth Baker, of Duluth MN, son-in-law Ryan Ridge also of Duluth.

A remembrance service is scheduled for Tuesday, August 15 at Hockemeyer and Miller funeral home in Fort Wayne. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Ronald McDonald House.

Eve’s earliest years were spent when she and her mother took a room at Margret and Paul Reed’s home in Anderson, Indiana. Eve also spent a few years with her Aunt Dolly Liford in Appalachia, Virginia.

During her formative years (8 - 18) Eve lived in Noblesville, Indiana. Eve and her mother lived near Eve’s Aunt Nedlene (Dean) Renner. Dean had four children: Gregory, Randall, Patricia Jane, and Spencer. Eve became a fifth member of the Dean and Rex Renner family. Eve graduated from high school in 1962. She was an Honor Society member at Lapel High School.

In High school Eve sat next to, and became a life-long friends with Lynda (Woodward) Clark. Eve, Lynda, and Nedra (Bourke) Zeis bonded to become ‘the three musketeers’. Eve (known as Virginia back then) also became a virtual member of Lynda’s family and spent many summer vacations with them on Lake Webster, Indiana. Her future husband, Everett, was required to stay at the Lake briefly to see if he would “pass muster” so-to-speak.

Eve graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette, in 1966. She was a sister at Sigma Kappa Sorority. Eve rose to the position of House Manager during her junior/senior year.

A week after graduation she married her college sweetheart Everett E Baker. About two weeks later they moved to Coco Beach Florida where Eve became a teacher. Everett went to work for The Boeing Co. In Florida Eve taught Senior English, Spanish, and Russian. In those days Everett wrote many engineering reports. Eve would proof read and make corrections/recommendations. This “service” was almost always used over the next several decades. (I am flying solo on this write-up)

In 1969 Eve moved when Everett went to work at Texas Instruments. In Dallas Eve worked for the state of Texas licensing day care centers. She was driving her new ’68 GTO. That turned out to be the only “new” car we ever bought. After that job, she helped run a day care that was part of a horse ranch. We used to ride a ’70 Triumph motor cycle late night thru the deserted streets of down town Dallas. Had to wait till late for the heat to blow off. Another time (June 1973) we trailered the bike to the camp grounds at Big Bend National Park. The adventures we had there bring back a flood of memories.

In 1974 Eve moved to Grand Rapids Michigan when Everett went to work for Lear Siegler. We ran into a retired Marine named Frank Mercatante. He was always at the gun shows with George Armstrong Custer books. Frank got Eve started in a gun-book business that lasted many years. At one time the number of gun book titles she maintained in inventory was about the third or fourth largest in the country. Frank was a much loved friend. One of her dearest friendships was started when she signed up for tennis lessons. Shelley Vaughn was the instructor. Eve maintained a close-close friendship with Shelley ever since. I have to believe that over the years I have saved a fortune in psychiatrist bills because of Shelley’s willingness to listen.

Julie was the best thing that ever came into our lives. She made Eve’s life complete. When she was only two we went to Santa Monica California for 9 months - for work. The memories of that time in our lives are worth more to me than Gold.

In 1985, Everett started working for Magnavox in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Eve continued with her book sales. In 1990 she started a new business/adventure. She would rent table space to vendors that had collectables for sale. “Eve’s Collectors Show” was started. She would rent a location for a day. Fort Wayne at the Grand Wayne Center, Detroit, Dearborn, and Southfield in Michigan; Columbus, Strongsville, and Loveland in Ohio. These are some of the cities where she put on shows. She did the local advertising. Vendors would bring Hallmark, Enesco, Precious Moments, Dept 56, and toward the end, Beany Babies. Eve would charge admission to the show. Friends and relatives would help us put on the show. If it was in Ohio, my niece Diana (Spencer) Slawson would step up. Laurie Kennedy helped at nearly every show. Laurie is a wizard at making a sales display look really good. Laurie is another dear-dear friendship that lasted a lifetime.

In the mid ‘90s Eve became an EMT. On many occasions she would get a call in the middle of the night, put on her fireman gear, and meet with Donna Green to rush to the emergency. I learned to sleep through the whole thing.

Everett (and Eve by proxy) retired In February 2012.

Eve had a few items on her bucket list:

She did a solo Sky Dive – but only once.

Alaska – While Julie was working in Alaska, Ev, Eve, and the Renner kids did Alaska.

Baltic Cruise – Eve always wanted to go to Russia since that was her major at Purdue. The cruse included one glorious day at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Mediterranean cruise – The earlier Baltic cruse was on a ship named MARINA. So…. We booked a cruise on the same ship. This Mediterranean cruise was wonderful. Many more memories.

The Behren’s (Don n Pat) welcomed Ev n Eve along with Trish Renner to their annual December Florida Disney adventure. Eve really looked forward to this special “Magic” time.

Eve also enjoyed attending many plays and shows at the Blue gate in Shipshewana.

At Beef and Boards in Indianapolis we regularly attended with our very special and close friends.

Eve spent her most recent energies in maintaining sales booths at Vintage Treasures in Fort Wayne and at the Country Shops of Grabill. Pricing items to sell at these booths provided her many hours of working with, and enjoying the Hallmark Christmas ornaments she so dearly loved.

I would like to acknowledge Donna Green and Mary Lee Reser as Eve’s posse. The three met regularly for many years. If one had a problem, the other two were there in a minute. Thanks

I know that I am leaving out so many of Eve’s really special friends. She very seldom talked about other people’s problems – not even to me. Often the first I knew of a problem was at the end of our nightly supper prayer. She would add a special prayer at the end. On several occasions I have received a message indicating something like “it’s a sad-sad day to learn that my only true friend has passed.” If Eve was your friend you could depend on her.

Eve and Ev were married 57 years and 16 days.

Eve was an Endowment member of the NRA (National Rifle Association), life member of OGCA (Ohio Gun Collectors), life member of the Michigan Antique Arms Collectors, Life member of the 101st Airborne Association, member of the Mid-West Gun Collectors. She was once secretary of The Grand Valley Corvette Association. Eve was voted Grand Valley Corvette Association’s most valuable member three years in a row. (’81 – ‘83)

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.HockemeyerMillerFH.com for the Baker family.