Graveside services for Rosie Dean Baker, 73, formerly of Fort Sumner, will be at 11:00 AM, Fri., Dec. 22, 2017 in the Fort Sumner Cemetery with her daughter, Kerri Lamb officiating.
Rosie Dean Baker was born April 20, 1944 in Muleshoe, TX to the home of Mary Dean and Ernest V. Arnold, and died in Portales early on the morning of Dec. 18, 2017. During her childhood, the family lived in Texico. On Oct. 2, 1957 in Farwell, TX she was married to Jerry L. Baker. They lived in Clovis until the mid 1960’s when they moved to Ontario, CA where they lived until the mid 1970’s. They returned to New Mexico, and made their home in Carlsbad. Several years later they moved to Hobbs, and then in the mid 1980’s they settled in Fort Sumner. Mrs. Baker lived in Fort Sumner until January of this year when she came to Portales to live with her brother.
Mrs. Baker was employed for a number of years at the Allsup’s store in Fort Sumner. She enjoyed playing BINGO on the computer, and had numerous BINGO friends across the country. She was a certified heliarc welder, as well as a published song writer. For many years she was active in the Eagles Lodge in Fort Sumner. She and her husband were both very fond of roses, and grew numerous rose bushes around their home. Rosie especially liked yellow roses. Mexican food was her favorite, and she especially liked chili rellenos and tamales. Other interests included arts and crafts and shopping. When she went to the grocery store, she always bought extra. Jewelry was another of her passions, especially sparkly pieces. She was a member of the Church of Christ.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Jerry Leonard and Velina Baker of Olden, TX; a daughter and son-in-law, Kerri and Walter Lamb of Evanston, WY; twelve grandchildren, including Andrea Abercrombe of Ventura, CA and Kristine Baker of Alabama; eleven great-grandchildren; three brothers, Billy Arnold of Portales, Mike Arnold of Carbondale, KS and Roy Arnold of Portales; and four sisters, Myrle Rush of Clovis, Arlene High and Joann Garrett both of Carbondale, KS and Peggy Cole of Roswell, NM. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers and a sister and by her husband, Jerry who died Mar. 6, 2008.
