Olive Baker

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at the Skipperville United Methodist Church with Reverend Freddie McCain officiating. Interment will follow in the Skipperville Community Cemetery under the direction of Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time at the church. Memorials may be made in her memory to Skipperville United Methodist Church, 5189 Hwy. 105, Skipperville, AL 36374.

Miss Baker was born December 15, 1921 in Skipperville, the youngest child of Christopher C. and Lillie Kansas Loftin Baker. Her life was devoted to her family, her church, and her patients. Her nephews and nieces lovingly knew her as “our rich Aunt Olive” because she showered her parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces with numerous Christmas presents every year. When Aunt Olive came home in the weeks prior to Christmas, the family children excitedly watched the pile of presents begin accumulating in the corner of the living room and expanding outward to the middle of the room. She also helped her “children” (her nephews and nieces) find and decorate the perfect Christmas tree.

She served both First Baptist Church of Enterprise and Skipperville United Methodist Church as a faithful member and provider for many years. She was a member of United Methodist Women and served in several capacities.

Graduating in 1944, Ms. Baker attended Georgia Baptist School of Nursing. She became an operating room supervisor at Gibson Hospital (now Medical Center Enterprise). Fondly known as “Miss O”, she supervised nurses and trainees (some of whom became doctors) for 35 years. In these years she operated on about one-half the population of Coffee County! She retired from nursing in 1984 and moved home to Skipperville. After her retirement, she volunteered her time and nursing talents to the RSVP program.

Miss Baker was an avid reader, enjoyed all kinds of word games and puzzles, and in past years was a very good fabric painter.

Her parents, two sisters, Mabel Baker and Lois Morton, and two brothers, Pearson Baker and Douglas Baker, preceded Ms. Baker in death.

She is survived by one sister, Virginia Mills of Andalusia; nephews: Ernie Mills and wife, Julianna, of Birmingham, Oliver Morton and wife, Cindy, of Silver Springs, MD, Larry Baker and Bill Baker, both of Skipperville; nieces: Jann Nance of Asheville, NC, Marlo Bixby and husband, Bill, of Skipperville, and Nancy Robbins of Andalusia. Also surviving are great-nephews, Oliver Mills, Kirk Mills and wife, Suzanne, all of Birmingham, Jim Nance of Raleigh, NC, Jeremy Nance of New York, NY, and Jack Bixby and wife, Sammi, of Hardy, VA. Surviving great-nieces are Jennifer Morton of Silver Spring, MD, Anna Jones of Skipperville, Natalie Moore of Mobile, and Bethany Polk and husband, Billy, of Prattville. Nine great-great-nephews and great-great-nieces also survive.

Serving as pallbearers will be Larry Baker, Bill Baker, Oliver Mills, Kirk Mills, Bill Bixby and Billy Polk.

Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home in Ozark, (334) 774-4551, is in charge of arrangements. Members of the Dignity Memorial Network..Condolences may be offered at www.fuquabankston.com.