Donna M. Baker

Donna M. Baker, 82, left us on August 11th, 2012 after a brief battle with cancer. She was born in Clearwater, Nebraska on July 15, 1930, grew up on the family farm near Clearwater, graduated from Neligh High School in 1947 & married Layton Baker in 1952. She lived in Neligh until 2005 when she moved to Gramercy, a senior's co-op community in Plymouth, Minnesota to relish her favorite role as grandmother to her only granddaughter Alexandra (Alex) Combs.
Surviving family members include her three daughters & their families, Dawn Baker of Neligh, Kristi Meints & Frank Sabad of La Quinta, CA, and Jill, Alex, Tom, Matt and Mark Combs of Plymouth. She is also survived by her brother Daryl Rodgers & his wife Gena of Kearney, NE, several nieces & nephews and many good friends in NE, MN and elsewhere.
She was preceded in death by her husband Layton E. Baker in 1979, her parents Lulu & Lawrence Rodgers and two juvenile brothers prior to her birth.
After high school Donna attended Northeast NE Community College & went to work as a legal secretary. Most of Neligh knows her as Assistant to the High School Principal, where she worked for 20 years and truly enjoyed getting to know each and every student and teacher. After retiring from the school Donna began a 26 year career in the title & real estate business prior to her final retirement & move to Plymouth. During this time she also opened Twice But Nice, a consignment store in Neligh, which was managed by her daughter Dawn.
Donna was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, The United Methodist Church and served the Neligh community extensively including participation on the Neligh Planning Commission and the Neligh Housing Committee. In Neligh, she may be best known for her 4th of July picnics on her front porch to enjoy the annual parade. After moving to Gramercy she was active in the co-op serving on various committees & the Board of Directors.
She was always very proud of her three daughters; however her favorite activity and greatest joy was spending time with her granddaughter Alex. During her 7 years in Minnesota, she seldom missed one of Alex's softball or basketball games and became known as "Grandma Super Fan". She also enjoyed golf, was an excellent bridge player, an avid reader & a dedicated crossword puzzler.
Memorial preferences include the Frauenshuh Cancer Center, Saint Louis Park, MN, and The United Methodist Church or the Neligh Public Library Foundation, both in Neligh, NE.