Ella I. Baker, 76, of State College, formerly of Centre Hall, died Friday, September 30, 2005 at the Fairways at Brookline Village, in State College.
She was born April 20, 1929 on the White Oak Dairy near Columbus, Mississippi, a daughter of the late Irwin William and Ruth Thelma Hennigh.
In 1958 in Allentown, she married Richard Baker who preceded her in death.
Ella was a 1951 graduate of Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City, NY, (now Baptist Bible College of Clark Summit, PA), and a 1958 graduate of Allentown General School of Nursing, Allentown, PA
Mrs. Baker worked as a nurse's aide at Centre County Hospital in Bellefonte for three years prior to going to nurses training. Following her nurses training, she worked as a Registered Nurse at the Centre County Hospital (later known as Centre Community Hospital) for sixteen years. She also did private duty nursing for several years, and worked as an RN at Health South before retiring from nursing. Ella worked as a companion and homemaker for Mr. and Mrs. William Engel in State College for 17 years. Following that position she did office cleaning and other housework for several years. Always busy, and industrious, she worked as a forestry aide with the PA Dept of Forestry counting trees and weeding for eight years. Never ready for full retirement, from 1996 until 2001 she worked as an aide and helper at Centre Crest Nursing Home in Bellefonte.
Her memberships included being a charter "kid" member of Calvary Bible Church, Centre Hall and for several years having been a member of Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church in Allentown, PA
She enjoyed reading, gardening, making jams and jellies and most of all, her cats.
One sister, Irene Margaret Lanser, of Elverson, PA; four nieces and four nephews; and thirteen grand nieces and nephews, survive Mrs. Baker. In addition to her parents and husband a sister Mary Brooks Simcox and a brother Charles Hennigh preceded her in death.
Friends will be received from 7 - 9 p. m. Tuesday, October 4, 2005 at Calvary Bible Church, 600 N. Pennsylvania Ave, Centre Hall, PA, and from 1:00 to 2:00 p. m. Wednesday at the church. The funeral will be at 2:00 p. m. Wed. Oct. 5, 2005 at the church with the Rev. Jeremy S. Nason officiating. Burial will be in the Egg Hill Church Cemetery, rural Spring Mills.
In lieu of flowers, contribution in Ella's name may be made to Calvary Bible Church, 600 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Centre Hall, PA 16828; the Centre County Christian Academy, 100 Hertzler Dr., Bellefonte, PA 16823 or to Baptist Bible College, 538 Venard Road, Clark Summit, PA 18411.
A guest book can be signed or condolences sent to the family at www.heintzelmanfuneralhome.com.