Lynn W Baker Obituary (1924 - 2014)

Lynn W. Baker, 89, Decatur, passed away Friday, June 13, 2014 in his residence. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street Funeral Home. Visitation will be at 10 a.m until service time. Burial will be in Macon County Memorial Park in Harristown. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army. Messages of condolence may be directed to the family via email at www.dawson-wikoff.com. Lynn was born December 4, 1924 in Roodhouse, IL the son of Grover and Grace (Williams) Baker. He married Catherine Knowles on November 19, 1949 in Decatur. She preceded him in death on December 17, 2006. He proudly served the U.S. Army in World War II, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and other conflicts throughout his deployment in Europe. Lynn went to work for Illinois Power Co. on July 21, 1947 and would retire at the meter shop as foreman on January 30, 1987. His work at Illinois Power would be interrupted by further service for his country when he was called to serve overseas in the Korean War. Lynn loved to do wood and metal working, bird watching, home improvements, fishing, and the 'occasional' trip to the Par-A-Dice Casino in Peoria and Argosy Casino in Alton. Lynn is survived by: daughters Lynette Hagen of Wahpeton, N.D., Mary Pansch and her husband Ralf of Decatur; grandchildren Denise (Hagen) Howard and her husband Dr. Jason Howard of Savannah, Ga., Air Force Academy Cadet Brett Hagen of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Stefanie Pansch of DeKalb, Ill.; siblings Florence Grant of Decatur, IL, Walter Baker and wife Margaret of Jacksonville, Ill. and Louise Lockett and husband Bill of Woodstock, Conn. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Catherine, sister Frances Whitworth and son-in-law Brian Hagen. The family would like to thank the staff of Keystone Meadows for their kind, compassionate and familial care of Lynn for the past three years; Dr. Dhirendra K. Patel and his staff for their care over the last three years; and Bethany from St. John's Hospice Services for her care and guidance.