Meta "Gene" Regina Goodman Baker

Meta Regina Goodman Baker went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on March 2, 2012. Gene, as she was known to family and friends, was born on January 4, 1918, in St. Charles, SC, to Annie Keels Goodman and Samuel Herbert Goodman. She graduated from Camden High School in 1936 and Thorson’s School of Cosmetology in 1937. While working as a beautician in Sumter, SC, she met Lyle A. Baker and they married in September 1942. She continued her career as a beautician in Florence, SC, until the birth of her first child in 1946. The job she loved best was as mother to her three children, and later as grandmother to her two granddaughters. She loved making Sunday dinner for her family and friends, and when you ate at Gene’s table, you never went away hungry. There were always hot biscuits and plenty of everything.

Gene was a member of Myers Park UMC, where she taught children’s Sunday school, joined the Ruth Fisher Sunday school class, participated in Adults Plus and many Bible studies, and became a Stephen Minister. She also participated in the Emmaus Walk and Bible Study Fellowship. Gene loved to study the Bible. Her favorite Bible teacher was Dr. J. Vernon McGee. She and Lyle were privileged to go on three study tours with Dr. McGee and his wife and got to know them personally.

In addition to faith and family, Gene’s other interests included travel, sewing, crafts, gardening, volunteering, and painting in acrylics. She loved painting landscapes and scenes from nature. She was quite an accomplished artist. Her travels took her to Japan, Hong Kong, Alaska, Hawaii, South America and Europe, but the places she enjoyed most were the Carolina beaches and the mountains, especially Lake Junaluska. In her later years she became a volunteer at Mercy South Hospital in Pineville, now known as Carolinas Medical Center, where she had over 10,000 hours of service.

Gene is survived by her daughter, Ann Perkins and husband, Joe Perkins of Cary, sons, Bob Baker and Bill Baker of Charlotte, sister, Zelma Hutchinson of Sumter, SC, granddaughters Alison Wood of Greensboro and Jennifer Kranz of Cary, and her beloved poodle companion, Lottie.

A celebration of Gene’s life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, March 10, 2012 in the Francis Chapel at Myers Park UMC, 1501 Queens Road in Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kidney Foundation or to the Humane Society.

Condolences to the family may be offered at www.mcewenpinevillechapel.com.