Beloved Community Figure Gloria Haines Baker Passes Away at 88

8560 Wilcox Road, Brown City, MI 48416, USA - On May 23, 2025, the community of Englewood, Florida, and beyond mourned the loss of Gloria Haines Baker, who passed away at the age of 88. Born on February 19, 1937, in Warren, Ohio, Gloria was the beloved daughter of Herbert and Veronica Haines. After spending 20 years living in both Englewood and Berlin Center, Ohio, she made Florida her permanent home in 2020. Throughout her life, she embodied many roles, notably as an accountant for General Motors in Lordstown, Ohio, where her meticulous nature shone brightly.

Beyond her accounting career, Gloria found joy in gardening, puzzles, crocheting, and melodious tunes that resonated throughout her home. Since 2019, she generously volunteered her time at Brown City Camp in Michigan, where she touched many lives with her warmth and dedication. Gloria’s family is reminded of the love that enveloped her life; she is survived by her husband, Lemoine D. Baker, with whom she shared 69 years of marriage, having tied the knot on June 16, 1956. Also left to cherish her memory are her son, Larry (Lisa) Baker of Englewood, daughters Lori Fenstermaker of Warren, Ohio, and Linda (Raymond) Marsh of Brown City, Michigan, as well as three sisters, one brother, and a multitude of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life

A memorial service is currently pending at Brown City Camp, with a more extensive celebration of Gloria’s life slated to take place in Warren, Ohio, at a later date. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, tributes may be made to Brown City Camp, ensuring that Gloria’s legacy of love and service continues to thrive.

As we reflect on Gloria’s life, it’s interesting to consider how modern funeral practices have evolved to create personalized experiences that reflect the character of those we’ve lost. According to Family Funeral Services, there is a growing trend towards mixing tradition with innovation in funeral customs, highlighting the individual nature of each life lived. This includes everything from themed celebrations to eco-friendly ceremonies that allow families to honor their loved ones in meaningful ways.

Increasingly, technology plays a vital role in how we memorialize the departed. Features like livestreaming allow loved ones who cannot attend to participate in ceremonies from afar, reinforcing the idea that connection remains strong—even across distances. In addition, there’s been a notable uptick in eco-conscious choices for funeral arrangements, with biodegradable caskets and natural burial grounds becoming popular among families seeking sustainable practices to leave a smaller environmental footprint.

The options available for memorialization are many and varied. Cremation has become a favored choice for many, with families looking for creative methods to memorialize ashes. For instance, some choose to incorporate them into jewelry or scatter them in places that held special significance to their loved ones. Others have taken to creating memorial gardens, beautiful spaces for reflection and tribute that offer solace during times of grief. In this way, Gloria Haines Baker’s memory can live on, celebrated not just during a service but through ongoing acts of remembrance and love for all she represented.

As we navigate these evolving customs, we remember that each life is unique, and celebrating that individuality enriches the experience of saying goodbye. Gloria’s legacy will undoubtedly inspire many to honor their loved ones in ways that reflect their true essence.

For more information about Gloria’s life and her memorial arrangements, you can visit Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Home’s obituary page here.