Barbara May Baker (13 Oct 1944 - 20 Aug 2015)

A lovely lady, I'm sorry I didn't know you better. Rest in peace Barbara

May you rest in peace Barbara. I will always cherish the moments we spent together both in England and when you came to Spain to cheer us up with your lovely nature.

I have known Jo and subsequently Barbara (or Mrs Baker as I always addressed her) since infant school.
Jo and I were inseparable and as such I would spend many a day at her home in Edwin Road and later Hoath Lane. So many fond memories created there.
Mrs Baker would often collect us both from school and take us back for dinner but beforehand always providing us with the crisp basket and diet coke! Her main concern was that you felt at home and would be always popping in with top up treats etc....
I remember always hearing the piano being played, always a jolly tune.
I remember Barbara and Roger always having cuddles in the kitchen, you could always feel such love between them both.
I will never forget Jo being cheeky and Barbara always cheerfully laughing at her to diffuse any negativity. I will always hold Barbara fondly in my heart for playing such an important part in my childhood. An amazing soul who will be missed, heaven has gained an angel x x

who....
... joined up a group of Church kids with Asian Schoolkids from a tough area and turned out a Youth Club!
... who was proud of her Morris Oxford split screen KATY
... who would always go red on her cheeks when she cross or embarrassed or very very happy, or just hot
... could tell you off but still love you
... loved music
... loved people
... loyal daughter , and big sister, as her brother Alan would attest to haha
... faithful sister in Christ
... disarming smile
... unforgettable
... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Some people are irreplaceable, and Barbara is one of them. The void she leaves in me is great, as she has been a wonderful sister-in-law. As I lost my mother-in-law soon after I got married, Barbara has also played her role. But where I am going to feel a huge loss is that she has also been my sister and my friend. I would also like to mention the number of people here in Spain who kept calling and asking after her state of health, and the number of people who have sent their condolences to me and Alan since she passed away. As Barbara had been visiting us for the last 30 years she has left lots of friends, especially members of my family.

Our sister now rests in peace awaiting the Resurrection at the last day by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Barbara-- Sister - Law and Aunt - One of the nicest ladies we have ever met. A lovely person, Kind, Unselfish and always thinking of others.
We will all miss you more words can express-the ready smile and quick sense of humour that lit up a room. You are at peace now and we will always love you.

It was years ago that I actually had a personal visit with Barbara. She came to Canada with her young daughters to meet their cousins (my 3 boys) -- it was a fun trip of about 3 weeks during which we tried to do and see everything - "Yes" we did Niagara Falls - it was a beautiful day as I recall. I thought there might be more visits but it was not to be. However, a couple of years ago, we discovered SKYPE and enjoyed regular visits which allowed me to really get to know her and to appreciate her courage, faith in God and her loving personality which shone forth even as her body weakened.

I already miss our visits.

She was my sister. Fortunately for me, she also doubled up as a mother during the first 16 or so years of my life and made things tolerable. She defended me, often against being told off for some stupid thing or other, and against bullying on one occasion. She used to take me to school. I left her standing at the bus stop one day, and ran off to my primary school in Ealing Broadway, then was rewarded when I got back home with a spanking by our dad.
She had to take loads of responsibility in the family, for instance, driving us around when no-one else knew how to, which meant driving down to Auntie Annie’s place in Chideock, Dorset. She took out the dog (Peter) in all weathers. Yes, and she was a very good recorder player! First it was the descant recorder, I seem to remember, then others. “Cherry Ripe” is the tune I remember best, playing with dad accompanying on the piano, and maybe “Who is Sylvia”? I also remember her singing “I vow to thee, my country” based on Holst’s Jupiter from the Planets.
She said I wasn’t naughty, but helped me out of loads of scrapes. I remember once down in Dorset I left a stain on the wall, don’t know what with, but I got a kiss when it disappeared by some miracle she must have worked on that occasion. Otherwise, I was for it!
I can remember she took me on holiday to Scotland and Britanny, and to the Scilly Isles on a boat trip where I got very sea-sick, and then she got sea-sick in sympathy! She was the most responsible person in the world, tied for first place with my wife. I can’t forgive her for getting better marks at “A” levels than me, and the country lost a very good, talented civil servant when she left work.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the general drift. I like to think she had a good time when she came to see us lately, almost every year for a week’s holiday. It was a terrible illness. What a horrible way to go, but I was very impressed by the wonderful care she got from her family.

I first met Barbara when I joined the Choir - Phoenix Singers about 3 1/2 years ago. For her sins, our then leader "gave" me to Barbara, and from that moment on we became firm friends. She told me about the MND and how it affected her, she shared her disappointment at not being able to play her recorder , something I never heard her do , but wished I had. We used to laugh about things, share stories, our beliefs, our wishes, talked about our families as good friends do.
Above everything else Barbara had a deep faith.I believe this faith gave her the ability of acceptance of the awful disease which took her little by little.
She loved her family, the grandchildren were her joy, and above all she loved Roger.
Last year , we enjoyed our choir throughout the summer, and we all chose music which we loved to sing, and Barbara's choice was "Spread a Little Happiness".
Well, Barbara, you spread more than a little happiness, you were just YOU
I am truly sorry we can't be there for your goodbye, I know that I have said my goodbye to you a couple of days before you left us, and for that I am thankful.
Thankyou for being my friend.

What's a bloody lovely woman. Always had such a nice chat while doing her hair about life and the family, an absolute pleasure to have met her. Thinking of all the family today and keep smiling xxx

Barabara has always felt like a constant in my life and will be so sadly missed by anyone that knew her. Such a warm, gentle lady, from whom I can never recall a cross word or frown in the many years I knew her.
My very first memory of Barbara was her standing talking to my mum at our front gate with baby Jo in her pram! I used to love coming to her house, hearing her playing the piano, and I honestly have never heard anyone play a recorder so beautifully. I still drive past the house each week and think of it as "Barbara's".
Truly one of life's most brave and lovely souls. The world will be a poorer place without her xxxx

I was about 15 when Joanna and I became an inseparable pair. I don't know how she tolerated us staying up late most weekends being quite loud. She would always make us dinner and put a vitamin tablet on my tray, I'm sorry that I never actually took mine. Barbara was also always there to take us to school and once even collected me when Joanna was off sick, I knew she was like a second mum to me, always getting on well with my own and giving me a cuddle when I left her house. I'm sorry I couldn't see her as much later on, and she'll be in my heart forever. Xxx

Barbara was the nicest lady. She was kind and patient and so so so lovely. I have so many memories of us prancing around with her watching Joanna and I and joining in with our giggles and fun. She used to cook our dinner and we'd have long chats about this and that. The time we baked a cake and named the (unbroken) eggs and Barbara just came into the kitchen, didn't question why we had named our eggs or why it was taking five hours to bake one sodding cake! She was our photographer when Joanna and I wanted to pose (Joanna sitting on my shoulders) she was the person who let us have fun but kept us safe (me carrying Joanna down the stairs and Barbara letting out little "oohs and aahs" as if to say "please don't drop my daughter!) and she was always so patient when she came to pick Joanna up from my house after a marathon film day and Jo would never be ready. I am so so glad that I made the time to pop in for a chat at the beginning of this year. I'll miss your patient, kind and generous heart and I promise to always look after Joanna and to keep her safe when we're playing around like 13 year olds. Sleep tight xxx

Barbara was possibly the nicest person I ever met.