Trudy Lee Baker

The youngest of four daughters, Trudy Lee Winter was born to Merlin D. and Vera Y. Winter on September 28, 1955, in Visalia, CA. She grew up attending Visalia elementary schools, Divisadero Jr. High, and Mt. Whitney High School. She graduated from Mt. Whitney in 1973 and continued her education at College of Sequoias and later at Fresno Pacific College.

In school, Trudy was a good student. She was active in both orchestra and choir. She took private piano, violin and vocal lessons. Her musicianship was superb. She was a kind person to everyone she met. The comments on her class’s Facebook page attest to the way she interacted with her fellow students. They mention her sweet nature, authenticity, and her peacefulness.

After earning her BA in Sociology, Trudy moved to Seattle. There, she played concert violin with the Seattle Symphony. She eventually returned to Visalia.

Trudy worked at several occupations over her lifetime. Retail, Social Services, Tulare County Impact Center, YMCA, St. Paul’s School, and Able Industries were among them. She was a loyal and hard-working employee and more, she did her jobs with great care for the people she worked with. She always went the second mile and her concern for others was obvious. She had a quiet acceptance of human differences and abilities.

In 1987, she married William Andrew Baker (Drew). They began their life together in Dinuba and later moved to Visalia. Both Trudy and Drew could be found helping others, including Trudy’s aging mother. Although they did not live with Vera, their involvement and care made it possible for her to stay in her home. Trudy and Drew worked together to help a number of people be able to stay in their own homes as long as possible. No job was too menial or too challenging.

Trudy passed away unexpectedly on August 7 at home. Her caring presence will be greatly missed by her husband, Drew. She will be lovingly remembered by her family and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Merlin and Vera Winter and by her oldest sister, Marilyn Winter Lockwood. She is remembered with great love by her sisters: Claudia Winter Goertz (Duane) and Patrisha Winter Gutierrez. Additionally, she had nephews, nieces, and a godchild whom she adored and took pride in.

We will probably never know just how many lives Trudy touched in positive ways. She was always going out of her way to help people. It didn’t matter what the person’s background was, how old they were, what challenges they had, Trudy would give her time, her energy, and her generosity to make sure they were taken care of. Every person was a child of God and deserving of respect, assistance, and care. Trudy put her Christian beliefs into action. She lived her faith in humble, meaningful ways every day. Whether adopting aged pets, donating to charities that help children, running errands for friends, or volunteering to help others, Trudy was at the forefront of serving others. She lived selflessly and generously. She was a light that will continue to shine God’s love for all.

A Celebration of Life will be held on September 12, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. This will take place at Gateway Church, 1100 S. Sowell St., Visalia, CA. A reception and luncheon will follow.

The family requests that donations in Trudy’s memory be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research, Salvation Army, or Samaritan’s Purse.