Rita Janik Baker

Rita Maria Janik Baker passed away peacefully on Friday, November 7. She was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1935. During her childhood she lived in south Chicago, and on her family’s farm in North Judson, Indiana. She loved riding her horse, Red. She was a cheerleader and drum majorette during high school in North Judson. Her first job was as a secretary for the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad. Rita cared for her mother, father, and sister Ginny in their declining years. She went on to earn a master’s degree in Speech Pathology from Southern Illinois University, where she met her beloved husband Orson. Theirs was a long, happy, and successful 45-year marriage based on love and mutual respect. They were long-time residents of Arlington Heights, and members of St. James Parish. Rita worked for Chicago Public Schools and helped many children during her years of service.

She moved to Kansas in 2019 after Orson’s passing to be closer to her sister Eva. Rita was preceded in death by her siblings Virginia, Edwin, Adam, Irene, Eugene, Alfred, and Gracie. Her beloved cat Winston passed at the age of 16, just weeks before Rita. She is survived by her sister Eva and many nieces and nephews of multiple generations. Rita was a very sweet, loving, and intelligent woman. She is greatly loved and will be greatly missed.

Her funeral Mass will be at 1pm on Tuesday, November 18 at the Santa Marta chapel in Olathe, KS. She will be interred with her husband Orson at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, IL, at a later date.