Joann Baker is my mom. She was born as Joann Dunbar and raised on a farm in Russell Springs, Kentucky. She was a strong young woman that didn’t want to stay on the farm, but travel and live life. She lived in many places including Virginia Beach and Mobile, Alabama. In Mobile she started a career in retail at the largest department store in the city. I guess I got my retail gene from my mom. Even though she didn’t get her high school diploma, she was determined to be successful. She rose up to become the lead buyer for the entire store. Later she moved to Indiana where she worked at Saps Bakery making donuts. I guess I got my love of making donuts from mom too. Mom met my dad after she got a new insurance policy. Their first date was at a bowling alley where my dad brought his son and my future brother Keith. Mom was sold on dad right of the bat, mostly because she wanted a family and marrying dad gave her a son. Mom was told by her doctor that she wouldn’t be able to have children, but God had other plans. Soon after getting married she got pregnant. At the hospital the doctors asked my brother what he wanted and he said a sister. My dad said he wanted puppies. But my mom wanted a son and God granted her a son.
While growing up my mom worked at Hallmark for many years and later in life she worked for my dad as a receptionist at his Allstate Insurance office. But what mom was really know for was caring for kids and others. My mom was one of the most kind and caring people I ever knew. Growing up mom was the babysitter to the entire neighborhood. She took care of every kid in the neighborhood allowing boys to be boys. We were encouraged to play outside, to pretend, to rough house, and even allowed a few fights. But she helped us to grow up to be men. My mom also spent time taking care of a woman with MS for a few years. She was always the one that helped take care of anyone that was sick or in need. She was always there to help anyone and always someone her family could count on to be there. She helped take care of her mother, her sister, brother-in-laws, and my dad at the end of their lives. At New Hope Christian Church she was the Nursery director for almost 20 years taking care of countless babies. Later mom became known as MaBaker. She would babysit my best friend’s son Jack and they began calling her MaBaker. The name stuck. When Jenny and I worked at the group home Youth Hope, she was called MaBaker by all of the girls in the home. She was someone that just showed them love no matter what. At East Columbus Christian Church mom was also known as MaBaker and not just by the kids, but by the adults too. And for my nephew Dominick she is also MaBaker. Like another grandma, but just by another name. While my mom never got any of her own grandchildren, she was loved by many children like a grandma.
From the time my wife Jenny came into my life my mom has loved her. She wasn’t just her mother-in-law, but she was also her mom. They had a special relationship. What made my mom’s relationship special with Jenny is that she always made Jenny feel like the woman of the house. My mom was never the overbearing mother-in-law. But instead she was a loving mother. Mom came to live with Jenny and I after my dad died and loved every moment. We enjoyed being a family together. We enjoyed watching our favorite TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural. Spending holidays together, seeing Adam Sandler movies (she loved him), and going out to dinner. Having mom live with us had a lot of benefits too. She loved to clean, so we never had a dirty house or dishes in the sink. And I had a magic laundry basket. I put dirty laundry in the basket and a few days later the clothes were cleaned and hung up in the closet. When I would tell people about that they would say that they couldn't believe I would let my mom do my laundry. But I’d answer simply, "you try to stop her." She loved to take care of her family. And when Jenny's mom came to live with us my mom welcomed her with open arms and they soon became good friends.
What made my mom really special is what she taught me. My dad taught me how to be a man, but my mom taught me how to be a Christian man. As a kid we would spend many Sunday mornings before church at Saps bakery or Kroger talking about God, Jesus, and our faith over donuts. Those were special times that helped me grow in my faith. My mom had a faith that was unwavering. I would say that mom had a direct line to God. If I really needed prayer, she was the one I turned to for prayers. Her faith was pure and strong. She believed in God’s power in her life. I remember her moving a couch alone down two flights of stairs. When we asked her how she did it she said, "I just said to Jesus, 'Okay Jesus help me' and he did." That was her faith.
My mom will be fondly remembered by many people as she touched the lives of so many. Everyone who knew my mom was better for it. I proudly call myself a moma’s boy. I am who I am today because of my mom. Thank you mom for being my mom.
