Gloria Marlene Baehr

She was born to Ann and Merlin Johnson on a farm outside White City, KS. The family soon moved to Dwight, KS, and Gloria grew up to know everyone in the small, thriving town. She played softball, took singing lessons, and was valedictorian of her Dwight High School class of ten.

She moved to Manhattan to attend Kansas State University in 1952, where she was an elementary education major and an Alpha Xi Delta. She met her husband, David Baehr, at a Sunday night meeting of a K-State Lutheran youth group. She and her husband were avid Wildcat fans, and she had strong opinions about the coaches, the players, and especially about the KU Jayhawks’ coaches and players.

As newlyweds, Gloria and Dave lived on the base at Ft. Bragg, NC, where Dave was a paratrooper. After his service ended, the couple lived in Kansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma before settling in Edina, MN, to raise their three kids. They moved to Overland Park, KS, in 1981.

Gloria played golf, bridge, traveled, belonged to dance clubs, and volunteered at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, and at St. Luke’s South in Overland Park, where she was honored as volunteer of the year for her 24 years’ service. She was active as a charter member of Cross View Lutheran in Edina, and at Bethany Lutheran in Overland Park. At the time of her death, she was a member of Trinity Lutheran in Mission, KS.

Although her degree was in education, she built a career in banking, beginning as a receptionist in the downtown Minneapolis Marquette Bank. She ultimately went on to manage its branch in Stadium Village. In Overland Park, she was manager of a First Continental Bank branch, where she once had to hand money over to an armed robber.

She embraced life, devouring thrillers and historical fiction, shopping for shoes, trying her luck at the boats, following sports, current events, and staying connected with friends and family. That same spirit sustained her through multiple rounds of chemotherapy for stage IV lung cancer.

The joy of her life was her family, especially her husband with whom she celebrated 71 years of marriage in July; her children, David Baehr (Maren), Kristin Frizzell (Jerry), and Denise Jennings (Greg); grandchildren Annie Mills (David), Ellen Riley Frizzell, David Frizzell, Katie Baehr, Kylie Wreath (Stuart), and Jack Jennings; and great-grandchildren, Julian and Everett Wreath, and Ada Marlene Mills. She died with the assurance of Jesus’ promise of eternal life.

A visitation is set for Monday, November 23, at 10 AM, followed by the service at 11 AM, at Trinity Lutheran, 5601 West 62nd Street, Mission, KS 66202. Interment will be at Dwight Cemetery in Dwight, KS.

In lieu of flowers, you are welcome to make a memorial gift to Trinity Lutheran Foundation, 5601 West 62nd Street, Mission, KS 66202, or the charity of your choice.