Sylvia Marie Baker

A Memorial Service for Sylvia Marie (Ridenour) Baker of Mountain Home, Arkansas, will be 11:00 am, Monday, April 2, 2018, at Kirby & Family Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Mike Clark officiating.

Sylvia was the second born to Irene and Clarence Ridenour after the loss of Jimmy who died in infancy and would have been her brother. Raised in Des Moines, Iowa with her three younger sisters, Deanna, Judy, and Carol, Sylvia developed many artistic talents creating beautifully inspired sketches, paintings, pottery, and later became proficient at quilting and sewing. Sylvia also had an incredibly wry sense of humor which made us all laugh and served her well later as her own life became more and more challenging.

Sylvia will always be remembered as the smart one. She was extremely gifted graduating in the top 3% of her very large Roosevelt High School class and then going on to college and earning a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University. During her career in Show Low, Arizona, she was able to help numerous people who were struggling with challenging life issues. She worked hard and faithfully as a counselor and social worker, mindful of her important calling.

Shortly after graduating from high school, Sylvia moved to Colorado, then back to Iowa, next to Phoenix, and finally to Mountain Home, Arkansas where she lived for the past 30 years of her life with her beloved husband and now, best friend, Jake Baker. Sylvia often commented about how lovely the Mountain Home area was. She loved the lush greenery and views of swaying trees outside her apartment windows.

If anyone could truly understand the Old Testament Book of Job, then perhaps it could be explained why life was such a challenge for Sylvia. She struggled bravely with severe mental health problems as well as various physical problems throughout her life. Yet, she kept marching on utilizing her training as a social worker, her intelligence, and her wit, to stay on top of what she needed to do to keep going. She made sure all of her health care providers understood her specific medical protocols and needs, and she was quite resourceful about finding the help she needed.

Sadly, on March 24, 2018, her body finally succumbed to her recent physical challenges, and she slipped away-suddenly and surprisingly, even to her health care providers, at the age of 71. Sylvia was a person of great faith and believed strongly in Jesus and the rapture, which she referred to during her last few days. Perhaps she saw the angels beckoning her and felt the hand of Jesus on her shoulder ushering her into the new world.

We will never know why her wonderful, bright light was snuffed out so quickly, but we can hold onto the hope and belief that Sylvia has been caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and is now dancing, creating, and laughing with the angels.

Sylvia is survived by her two sisters, Judy Swayne, and Deanna Eurrit and their families.

She will be joining Jimmy, Carol, Irene and Clarence who preceded her in death.

Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services.