Lila Baker passed from this life to her eternal home in Heaven on January 22, 2017 at the age of 90, surrounded by family at Alexander Cohen Hospice House in Hughson, CA.
   Lila Baker was born March 7, 1926 in Fresno, CA to Abraham and Sylvia Thiessen.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Ival Baker. 
   She is survived by her children, daughter Carolyn Johnson and husband George of Manteca, and sons Larry Baker of Orangeburg and Wayne Baker and wife Linda of Soulsbyville.  She is also survived by seven grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and brothers, LeRoy Thiessen and Eugene Thiessen and sisters, Helen Smith and Hazel Thompson.
   When Lila was a few months old the family moved to Kansas where her father was a wheat farmer until the dust storms of the 1930’s drove them back to California.  She grew up in Hilmar, CA where she met the love of her life, Ival Baker.  They were married in Reno, NV on September 9, 1942 when she was 16 years old.  Shortly after they were married, Ival joined the Army and was gone for four years serving in WWII.  While he was gone Lila worked at the Merced Air Base repairing wartime aircraft.  She was a homemaker most of her life but worked part-time at H.J. Heinz in Tracy and at Mode-O-Day dress shop in Roseville.  She was a talented gardener and enjoyed doing genealogy research.  She also loved reading, especially her Bible.  She was a member of Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Ripon.  She will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.
   In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Community Hospice, 4368 Spyres Way, Modesto, or Immanuel Christian Reformed Church, 517 Orange Avenue, Ripon.
   Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 2, 2017 from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. with the funeral to start at 10 a.m. both at Allen Mortuary.  Burial will follow at Turlock Memorial Park.  Please share condolences at www.AllenMortuary.com

Ripon
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Saturday, January 28, 2017