After a full life of 100 years and 24 days Nevada City Native, Elma Louise Eden Baker passed away on July 25, 2019.
Elma was born July 1, 1919 at the family home where her father Charles Eden was born in Indian Flat which still sits next door to the original home her grandfather John Eden homesteaded in the 1880s. Elma was the youngest of seven children born to Charles Eden and Fannie Jane Stephens Eden. Elma attended local elementary schools and graduated from Nevada City High School with the class of 1936. She attended Mt. Saint Mary’s Business College in Grass Valley and upon graduation went to work for the Penrose Grocery Company in Nevada City. In 1940 her marriage to Carl Edward Baker was the union of two Pioneer families. Carl’s father was Edward Joseph, his grandfather was Daniel Sherman Baker who was a founding businessman in Nevada City in the 1880s. Following a brief stay at Happy Camp, CA where Carl was assigned to work at the copper mine as a part of the efforts for World War II Carl, Elma and oldest son Kenneth moved into their Nevada City home on Factory Street where she lived until her passing. Second son Keith soon joined the family and Elma devoted her time to her children. Always involved in whatever the boys were interested in she was room mother, active with Scouting, and especially with Little League Baseball all throughout their youth. Elma joined the Nevada City Fire Department Auxiliary, served as the president and was an active member up to the time the organization disbanded. Always interested in, and very knowledgeable of, the history of her community she served for years as a volunteer at the Nevada City Fire Department Museum as well as the Nevada City Historical Library. Elma was also a long-time volunteer at the Grass Valley Cancer Thrift Store. Elma loved to garden and up to her passing she was insistent that her plants be cared for. She was a wonderful cook who made a dessert for her husband of 61 years to have at the end of each evening meal! She was the keeper of the family information and she never forgot a single detail of the lives of each niece, nephew and later great nieces and nephews as well as her children’s families and most of their friends. Most received a birthday card and she stayed in touch even without email!!
Elma and her husband Carl/Bud loved to travel, after his retirement they pulled their travel trailer across most of the USA and into Canada saving Mexico and Baja for the winter months where they spent extended stays on the beaches fishing and enjoying their friends. A favorite trip was with Buds two sisters, Dorothy Hamilton and Alberta May, when they traveled to Cornwall, England where they were able to visit the tin mines and villages where their Baker and Eden families had worked and originated from.
Elma lived a wonderful life that was full and rewarding not only to her but to her family. The Nevada City Council recently acknowledged all of Elma’s contributions with a proclamation declaring July 1, 2019 “Elma Eden Baker Day”. She has been such a force and resource and will be dearly missed.
Predeceased by her parents, Charles and Fannie Eden, brothers William, Steven & Orville Eden, sisters Verla Lutz/Dunbar, Bernice Penrose, Lois Davies, great grandson Hayden McLeran and husband Carl Edward Baker.
Elma is survived by son Kenneth and wife Kay, son Keith and wife Anne, grandchildren and step grandchildren , John and Michelle Baker, Richard and Julie Baker, Kathryn and Jeff Boswell , Steven and Sara Baker, Elizabeth Baker, Jori and Scott McLeran, Amy McLeran, Matthew and Sarah Baker, great grandchildren, Adam Baker, Miles Baker, Eden Baker, Theo Baker, Avery Baker, Baker Boswell, Kenton Boswell , Trey Baker, Tayloranne McLeran, Abigail McLeran, Christion McLeran, Gabriel Baker, Fiona Baker and Jaxon Baker.
Elma will be cremated as she requested and placed with her husband in a niche at Sierra Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Hooper & Weaver Mortuary, Nevada City. According to her wishes no funeral services will be held.
