ELEANOR S. BAKER
SHIRLEY, Eleanor S. Baker, 96, of Shirley, died December 27, 2011 at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Born September 3, 1915 to Grace and Victor Simpson of Shirley, she graduated in 1933 from Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield. She met and married Carleton M. Baker of West Forks in Bingham on August 23, 1936. The couple lived in various places throughout Maine until settling in Shirley, when Carleton went to work for Great Northern Paper Company. Eleanor set up housekeeping and tended to their two children, Charlie and Judy.

She attended nursing school for 3 years, and was a very gifted seamstress. She also knit and crocheted, and in 1951, together with several other women in town, received a knitting machine to make socks for the Shirley Industry. She was an active member of the Extension program, enjoying participating in a wealth of culinary workshops, and volunteering her time to teach others sewing, knitting, and crocheting. Eleanor was a charter member of the Shirley Shes, a ladies group, who, unbeknownst to many, donated books to libraries, clothes to the needy, and scholarships to deserving high school seniors. She was very patriotic, and believed it was her civic duty to volunteer time to town matters. She not only served as the treasurer of the Shirley Public Library for many years, but also volunteered every voting day at the polls.

Far and away her greatest accomplishment, however, was her devotion to home and family. She was an outstanding parent, grandparent, and, her favorite job, that of great-grandparent. She was an excellent cook, and often fed many a family hunting party. She was particularly well-known in the area for her biscuits, molasses filled cookies, and donuts. She enjoyed cooking with the children, and playing games with even the youngest. She was never having so much fun, though, as when she was playing cards.

She was predeceased by her husband Carleton M. Baker, her brother Howard Simpson, and her brother Carroll Simpson. She is survived by her son Charles Baker of Shirley and his wife Debi, her daughter Judith Baker of Shirley, her granddaughter Cindy Burnell of Franconia, NH, and her husband Tim, and her three great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Grace, and Daniel.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 11:00 AM at the Shirley Community Church in Shirley with Dr. Robert Mulholland officiating. Burial will be in the Shirley Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shirley Community Church, care of Joan Thorp, PO Box 7, Shirley, ME, 04485.

Arrangements by Crosby & Neal, Guilford. For an online register, go to www.CrosbyNeal.com.