Elizabeth "Betty" Baker

Elizabeth "Betty" Baker, 87, of Ottawa IL, most recently St Francis WI., passed away Saturday, November 15, 2014 at St. Luke's Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after a brief illness. A Memorial Mass will be held 11:30 Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at St. Columba Church with Father David Kipfer officiating. Visitation will be 10:00 to 11:00 am prior to services on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at Ottawa Funeral Home. She will be buried in St. Columba Cemetery with her beloved husband and daughter. Elizabeth was born March 20, 1927 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Jacob Heltemes and Anna (Peters) Heltemes. She married Paul Baker on May 6,1953 in Minnesota; he passed away December 27th, 1963. She retired after more than twenty years of service in the LaSalle County tax assessor's office. She was involved in the ACSME union, past member of Home Extension, and volunteer at the Red Cross and Ottawa Hospital. She was also a member the Ottawa chapter of AARP. Betty loved to garden, knit, read in her free time and travel, and had a strong passion for animals. She was active at her church, loved to sing in the choir, and was a member of Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She is survived by her daughter, Linda Baker; one sister-in-law, Barbara Williams; nieces and nephews, Kathy Vilven, Dan and Tom Williams; and many friends. She is preceded in death by her husband, Paul; one daughter, Elaine Baker; and her brother-in-law, Jerry Williams. Memorials may be directed to Feed the Children or the Heart Association