Patricia (Pat) Baker

Patricia Lee Kelley Baker passed away at her home with her husband by her side on August 9, 2021, at the age of seventy-seven. She was born March 5, 1944, in Heidenheimer, Texas to the late Ruby and Alvin Kelley.

The family later relocated to the Fort Worth area. After graduating from Brewer High School in White Settlement, Texas, Pat attended nursing school at John Peter Smith Hospital in Ft. Worth. She served as an Army Nurse in Europe from 1966 to 1969. Pat was stationed at an Army Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, where she met her husband, a medic in the Army named Robert Baker.

After their time in the Army, Pat and Bob returned to Texas, and both furthered their educations. Pat graduated from TWU in Denton with a BS in Nursing. For a time, she was a nurse at DFW Airport when it first opened, responsible for health screenings on all of the new employees.

The couple moved to Kilgore, Texas after finishing their degrees. There, Pat enjoyed many years working in hospitals and for doctors in Longview and Kilgore. East Texas is where she raised their three children, Michael, Sally, and Laura. Upon retirement, Pat and Bob returned to the Dallas area to be closer to her family and their youngest grandchildren.

Pat was a very hard worker who accomplished many things in her life. In addition to working full-time, she always had a home-cooked meal on the table at 5:15 for a sit-down family dinner. She also sewed many costumes, spent countless hours watching her kids and grandkids at their activities, and taught everyone she knew how to shop sales!

Left to cherish her memory are her husband of 52 years, Bob Baker, her three children, Mike Baker of St. Johns, Florida, Sally Lawler (husband Mike) of Kilgore, Texas, and Laura Ryan (husband Mike) of Lucas, Texas (yes, that is 3 Mikes!).  In addition, she will be deeply missed by her grandchildren Devon, Allison, Chloe, Cooper, Kara, and Riley, and two great-grandchildren, Avery and Delilah.  She is also survived by her brothers Vernon Kelley and Bill Kelley, sisters Paula Truex and Cyndi Jaddatz, and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her beloved mother, Ruby Parker, her brother Russell Kelley, and her sisters Audrey Petty, Zola Mosley, and Ruby Nell Williams.

Pat was cremated and will be laid to rest at the DFW National Cemetery in Dallas at a later date. The family will hold a private celebration of her life.

If desired memorial contributions may be made in Pat’s name to Alcoholics Anonymous at https://contribution.aa.org/ .

God, give me grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen