Kathi Darlene Baker

battle with COPD, her heart eventually gave out and she peacefully entered the gates of heaven on December 8, 2019.

Kathi grew up in and around Eight Mile, Alabama, and was the oldest girl to 6 siblings. While both her parents worked, she was often responsible for tending to the household and the other children, so it was no surprise when she met the love of her life, James Baker, and ran away with him at the young age of 13. Fearful of Kathi’s mother, James eventually returned her home, but was given permission to marry her by the time she was 14. They moved to Texas and started raising a family. There were many peaks and valleys in this relationship, resulting in repeated divorces and getting remarried to each other. On the outside looking in it seemed dysfunctional, and oftentimes it was, but in the end, they loved each other like crazy and could never stay apart for long.

She was a loving wife, mother and homemaker. Her entire life was dedicated to those she took care of. What she lacked in book education, she made up for in cooking skills, focusing primarily on southern and Cajun dishes. She loved preparing meals for her family and friends, especially during the holidays. Although she was not physically able to cook as much herself in her later years, she was either in person or via phone advising those closest to her on how to make different dishes. It’s an ongoing joke that anyone is lucky to actually master any of her recipes as she rarely ever measured anything!

Kathi was a dedicated Alabama fan, dressed in crimson several days a week, and rarely missed a game. She loved the beach but was happy being around any body of water and feeling the sun shining down on her. Her sun-kissed skin would turn so dark in the summertime that her ethnicity was often in question. An avid dog lover, you would always see her with both big and small dogs in her lap and by her side. She received much pleasure from her time breeding, birthing and nurturing puppies. She kept an immaculate and orderly house down to every can and box in her pantry facing forward. There was never a dirty floor or dust to be found and was often heard sneaking into the bedrooms late at night to put away laundry. She loved to dance. Whether at home in her kitchen with her children or out on a real dance floor where every man in the room recognized her sparkle and wanted to dance with her.

Selfless to a fault, she would give anything she had to someone in need. Everyone went to her because she would believe any sad story presented to her and offer whatever they were seeking if at all possible. Her heart was huge and her home was an open sanctuary where she turned no one away. Not only did she raise her 4 children, she adopted one of her grandchildren and took 3 others when they needed her. She did everything she possibly could for them and could not have loved them more if she had birthed them herself. Some of her most trying times in her last couple years were the moments when she knew she could no longer physically care for them as they needed due to her health but refused to give up on them and hung on until she knew they were all in good hands. She was loved by many and her unwavering love and kindness will not be forgotten.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Leon Baker, her father, Marlie John Ellis, her mother, Dorothy Smith, her brother Marlie John Ellis Jr, her brother Jerrell Ellis, her brother Terrell Ellis, and her sister Pamela Rivers. She is survived by her daughter, Theresa Baker Coon, her son Thomas James Baker, her son James Horace Baker, her daughter Alicia Darlene Baker, and her daughter Autumn Rain Baker as well as 20 grandchildren. Her family is welcoming visitors to celebrate her life on Friday December 13 at Radney Funeral Home in Saraland from 12-2 pm and funeral services to begin at 2pm. Procession to Pine Crest Cemetery will immediately follow the service.