Margaret Anne Baker

It is with broken hearts that we announce the death of our beloved matriarch, Margaret Anne (Peggy) Baker. She died in hospital on May 8, 2025, after complications from heart surgery. She was surrounded by family who loved her, and she was ready to meet her maker. Her great faith in God never wavered. One of her famous phrases was, “God has a plan.” (The other was, “Getting old is for the birds!) She was a person who exuded caring kindness; ballast in the boat for those close to her, and a ray of joy and warmth for those who crossed her path.

Peggy was born at home in Toledo, Ohio on May 2, 1939. Mary Magdelan (Chverchko) Wagner was her mother, and her father was Ralph Ramona Wagner. Her parents were from Pennsylvania but after they married, they moved to Ohio. Peggy grew up as an only child with her dog Trixie in the home her father built on Northville Street. In 1957 she graduated from Clay High school where she played clarinet in the band and was a majorette. When she was a Junior in high school, she met the man she would marry (Sid Baker) on a school trip hosted by the United Nations Club. Their first date happened in New York City while they were on that trip. It took Sid two more years of dating her on and off (and a sign from God) to convince her he was the one, but they married July 18, 1959, and loved each other until he died in 2022.

They started their family in 1961 with the birth of Tammara Marie. Stephen Thomas came along two years later and Malinda Marie was close behind. Shortly after having their last child, Ann Marie, in 1969, they moved to a house on Maple Road in Flint, Michigan and she lived the rest of her life there. That home holds happy memories for so many people. In general, Sid and Peg made raising the children a priority and many sacrifices were made for their welfare and happiness. But beyond that, their home was a place everyone felt welcomed and cherished. Peggy was an excellent hostess not only in the comfort of her home and the food she would inevitable try to get guests to eat, but also in her manner of visiting. She was always genuinely interested in your life, desirous of lifting a sad spirit, or celebrating a hard-won accomplishment. She served up kindness and joy graciously. The Baker house was also known for its Fourth of July parties that didn’t end until Sid fell asleep at the campfire and its campfires that happened spontaneously if an evening was especially inviting. It hosted haunted Halloween trails, and a Christmas Hallmark movie setting for the never-ending celebrations. Home, family, and friends were the center of Peggy’s life, but she had a remarkable career as well, touching countless lives.

After graduating from high school Peggy worked at Kroger as a cashier and pursued her teaching degree. Due to her kind, friendly nature, many customers would wait in long lines to have her check them out, prompting the management to promote her to an office job to keep the lines moving. After marrying she started a day care in her home, Peggy’s

Playhouse, where she filled the children’s days with fun and learning. She knew countless nursery rhymes and games that required no materials. She also taught third and fifth grades and later in life became a Parent Educator for the Bendle SKIP program.

How the parents and children looked forward to her weekly visits and her monthly socializations. She could convert a classroom into a winter wonderland complete with an ice pond to skate on, snowballs for throwing and of course, snowmen for the making. Her energy, creativity, and dedication were unmatchable. Eleven years after retiring some of her families still keep in touch.

Although family, friends and work were central to Peggy’s daily life, what supported her through it all was her faith. Peggy grew up having a relationship with God. Her Mother raised her in the Catholic Church, and she treasured her faith and tried to live in a way that was pleasing to her heavenly Father. She worked tirelessly for the church when she was raising the children. She taught CCD, helped organize fundraisers, and even served on the Board of Education for the school at Holy Redeemer. Later in life, her faith grew even deeper, and it sustained her through the challenges of caring for elderly parents, difficult teenagers, and eventually, a body that was wearing out. She prayed day and night and was known as a prayer warrior. Many lives were improved without the people even knowing she was praying for them.

The love of her life, Sidney D. Baker, preceded her in death, as did her granddaughter Nicole. Left to miss her are her four children (mentioned above), Steve’s four daughters, Ashley, Sara (Josh), Jessica (James)and Samantha (Nick) Malinda’s three children Emily (Adam), Megan (John), and Anthony and Ann Marie’s Joshua. Collectively she had twelve great-grandchildren. Ashley has Alyssa, McKenzie and Dezaray. Sara has Loralye, Paisley, Emerlyn, and Melody. Jessie has Barrette, Samantha has Gracelyn, Emily has Shelby, Megan has Henry and Noah. Peggy will also be missed by countless friends and every nurse at the offices she visits. She was a truly remarkable woman, and we feel so blessed to have had her in our lives