Maureen Sikes Baker

Maureen Sikes Baker, 90, of Lake Jackson, Texas, went into the arms of her Savior and King, Jesus Christ, on February 15, 2023. Maureen Sikes Baker, known affectionately as “Mar Mar” to her adoring grandchildren, was born on Sept 27, 1932 in El Campo, TX to the late Rosa Rooker Sikes, her beloved mother, and John Alvin Sikes, her beloved father.

Maureen Baker’s Celebration of Life Service is on President’s Day. This is fitting as she was married to a veteran, Erwin Ray Baker, who served in the Korean War as an Intelligence NCO Officer. Maureen Baker loved Jesus Christ and valued the freedom she had in Him. She openly expressed her gratitude and thankfulness for the freedom and opportunity that stemmed from living in the United States of America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Maureen Baker had many talents including a gift for leadership, management, organization, cooking, fashion, floral design, decorating, and hospitality. As busy as she was, she always prioritized her relationship with Jesus Christ, as well as quality time with her family and friends. She had a loving and spitfire personality that was apparent even in childhood. She grew up in a farming family and proudly rode her horse to school in El Campo. She learned leadership skills from her hard working parents as a child, and eventually moved to Port Arthur, Texas with her family after her father went to work for the Gulf Oil Company. It was in Port Arthur that Maureen had two amazing things happen. Firstly, she and her brother, Alvin, were baptized in the First Baptist Church of Port Arthur. Secondly, she met the love of her life and beloved husband, Erwin Ray Baker, at Jefferson High School. Afterwards, she honed her organizational leadership skills at the Port Arthur Business School.

Maureen and Ray shared many warm memories of their high school years together. They were deeply in love and got married in 1952 at the City Hall in Port Arthur, Texas surrounded by their family and friends. They did not need a lot of fanfare around their wedding ceremony because their love for each other and for Jesus Christ was the main event. Maureen enjoyed sharing warm memories of her early married years to Ray, their time in College Station while he attended A&M, as well as tales of their adventures raising a young family in Houston and Lake Jackson. Maureen and Ray’s devotion to one another was unmatched and their incredible love story lasted 71 years, and will continue in heaven when they are reunited again.

Maureen had many accomplishments. At a time when not many women were shaking it up in the business world, she founded and ran her own day school, called the Colonnades Day School, while she and Ray were living in Houston. The Colonnades Day School was considered cutting edge, and Maureen and her school were featured on TV by television personality, Joanne King.

After moving to Lake Jackson with her family, she served as the Executive Secretary for long serving City Hall Manager A.A. MacLean for over a decade. She spent many hours writing original Bible study lessons on a large black typewriter, which she would deliver and teach at highly attended women’s Bible study classes at First Baptist Church of Lake Jackson, where her husband also ministered.

“Mar Mar” was the Queen of Clean. Her house was the most clean and orderly on the block. She had impeccable taste and fashion sense. However, her greatest gift was the gift of being present and attentive for those she loved including her husband and children. She loved to watch her boys, Les and Randy, play football; cheer on her daughter, Lisa, as she performed at ballet recitals; and show great support for her daughter, Amy, while she played softball and other activities. This tradition of support continued with her grandchildren.

Maureen Baker wasn’t afraid to try new things, whether it was taking a group of her energetic grandchildren to NASA, living it up in a Surfside beach house with her family for a beach vacation, supporting church sports leagues, or dyeing her husband’s hair red with over the counter box color to keep him looking sharp. Her ability to make you feel loved and heard set her apart. She showed you her love in many ways, but especially through quality time, words of affirmation, listening to your hopes and fears, hugs and cuddles, showing up whenever she could to show her support, and cooking all sorts of wonderful dishes, including, but not limited to: Her famous Thanksgiving dressing, banana pudding, and breakfast dishes to get you out of bed and to the breakfast table in short order! Mauren “Mar Mar” was one of a kind, and still is, as she lives on in heaven.

Maureen Baker is preceded in death by her parents, Rosa Rooker and John Alvin Sikes, as well as her much loved son, John Randall “Randy” Baker.

She is survived by husband, Erwin Ray Baker, as well as her brother, Alvin Sikes, and his beloved wife, Margaret. Additionally, she is survived by her daughter Lisa and her husband Dan, her son Les and his wife Christine, and her daughter Amy and her husband, Dale. Maureen is also survived by a fleet of her adoring grandchildren including Danielle, J.R., Westin, Rick, Tracy, Russell, and great-grandchild, Wesley Rose.

The service for Maureen Baker will take place on President’s Day, Monday, February 20, 2023, at Restwood Funeral Home in Clute, TX, with visitation from

noon to 1 p.m.

After, the Celebration of Life Service will take place from

1- 2 p.m.

Restwood Funeral Home Address: 1038 W Plantation Dr, Clute, TX 77531

Following, the Burial Service will be held at Garden Memories Cemetery in

El Campo, TX at 3:30 p.m.

Address: Garden Memories Cemetery State Highway 525 El Campo, Texas, 77437