Barbara Baker

Barbara J. Baker of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, May 9, 2018, with her daughter by her side.

She was born to the late Harry and Alma Carrow Palmer in McClure, Illinois, and was the youngest of their 11 children. She and Howard Baker were married March 6, 1960, at the Marquette Hotel in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death in July 1968.

Barbara graduated from Shawnee High School in Wolf Lake, Illinois, and graduated from the Office Training Center in Cape Girardeau. She was employed by International Harvester in Chicago.

During their marriage, Barbara and her husband, Howard, owned and operated several businesses: Downstate Vendors, supplying jukeboxes, pinball machines and cigarette machines; Baker Distributing Co., supplying Falstaff, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Stag and Sterling beers; Town and Country Motor Inn and Truck Stop, and several nightclubs and gambling joints in Southern Illinois, including the Colony Club, Baker's Club Flamingo, the Thunderbird, the 21 Club, and the Purple Crackle Club, among others.

After Howard's death in 1968, Barbara moved to Cape Girardeau and became one of the first women in the area to obtain her real estate license. She worked at Key Realty and was the broker at Century 21 Key Realty, before buying Town & Country Realty in 1980, which she operated for 28 years.

Barbara Baker

Barbara received several awards during her professional career, including being named the first Realtor of the Year through the Cape Girardeau Board of Realtors. She also served on many state and local committees. Barbara served as the president of the Board of Realtors and was on the Governor's Task Force for the Homeless.

She was a member of the Lindsey Cemetery board and founded the Cape Girardeau Chapter of Parents Without Partners.

She was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church.

Barbara was a pioneer of working women in the era. She liked to say that "the best man for the job is probably a woman." She was a classy and beautiful lady, inside and out, who always knew what to wear to an event two weeks in advance. Throughout her lifetime, Barbara enjoyed reading, fishing, hunting, shooting craps, bowling, water skiing and good scotch. She was always up for a good time.

Barbara had many fantastic friends and cherished every one of them. The two joys of her life were her children, Kim and Randy, and then her grandchildren came along, and Kim and Randy instantly took a backseat.

Survivors include her daughter, Kim Baker (Chris Lix) of Cape Girardeau; son, Randy Baker of Decatur, Illinois; daughter-in-law, Carole Starzinger of Decatur; five grandchildren, Savannah Seyer, Jordan Baker, Hayley Baker, Katie Baker and Courtney Baker; and three stepgrandchildren, Josh, Ethan and Wyatt Lix.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Howard Baker; brothers, Bud, Lee, Denny and Pat Palmer; sisters, Lucille Hurtt, Beatrice Simpson and Erma Tucker and three infant sisters; and her beloved grandson, D.J. Baker.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

Funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with her good friend, Joanna Toler, and granddaughter, Savannah Seyer, officiating. Burial will follow at Lindsey Cemetery in McClure, Illinois.

Memorial donations may be given to the Alzheimer's Association.

Online condolences may be shared at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.