Helen Rosezetta Baker

Helen Rosezetta Baker, age 84 of Lovilia, passed away Saturday, December 12, 2015, under the care of HCI Hospice at the Monroe County Hospital in Albia. Helen was born April 12, 1931, to Otto and Beulah (Adams) Corrick in Grinnell, Iowa. She married Merrill LeRoy Baker on June 19, 1954, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Albia. They shared 59 years of marriage prior to Merrill's passing and were blessed with five children, Kevin, Jolinda, Kim, Jeff, and Brian. Helen attended school in Keswick, graduating with the class of 1949. After high school, she attended AIB for 1 year. Helen worked at Look Magazine in Des Moines. After getting married, she was a homemaker and later worked at Chamberlains in Albia for 10 years, from 1975-1985. Helen was an outstanding athlete, setting the state scoring record for high school basketball. As a freshman, she played as a guard and as a sophomore, she scored 101 points in a game in 25 minutes. She was referred to as "Corky" and "the Keswick Flash." She played basketball for Look Magazine and at AIB where she was named All American. She was inducted to the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Hall of Fame in 1978. She loved sports and liked to shoot hoops and play HORSE with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She especially enjoyed walking and attending and watching her grandchildren's sporting events. Above all, Helen enjoyed spending time with her family. Helen is survived by her five children, Kevin (Jane Sinnott) Baker of Albia, Jolinda (Ed) Wilson of Lovilia, Kim (Steve) Haluska of Decorah, Jeff (Jamie) Baker of Ankeny, and Brian Baker of Cedar Falls; a special nephew, Greg (Holly) Shelford of Knoxville; ten grandchildren, Ryan (Laura) Wilson of Cedar Falls, Lindsay (Dave) Kamerick of Albia, Adam (Kendra) Haluska of Solon, Carolie (Sean) Mays of Loma Rica, CA, Dustin Baker of Loma Rica, CA, Sean (Shellie) Haluska of Carroll, Kelsey (Andrew) Oswald of Ankeny, Kristin (Curt) Mick of Albia, Blake Haluska of Iowa City, and Brett Baker of Ankeny; and eleven great-grandchildren, Cole, Carter, Paige, Jerzey, Rhys, Jace, Ezra, Nolan, Tenley, Hudson, and Jett. She is also survived by a brother, Richard Corrick of Adel; and five sisters-in-law, Betty Baker of Des Moines, Hazel Baker of Albia, Norma Barnes and Gayle Hastings both of Lovilia, and Lola (Bob) Ivins of Albia. She was preceded in death by her husband, Merrill; her parents, Otto and Beulah; a brother, Gerald "Slim" Corrick; 2 sisters, Thelma Paxson and Joyce Davis; and a great-granddaughter, Brooklyn Kamerick. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, December 16, 2015, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Albia; with Pastor Neil Montz officiating. A private family burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Lovilia at a later date. Visitation will be 12-8 p.m. Tuesday, December 15, 2015, at Tharp Funeral Home in Albia, with Helen's family present from 4:30-8 p.m. Memorials may be made to Welcome Home Soldier or to the Southeast Iowa Kidney Foundation.

Helen Rosezetta Baker

April 12, 1931 - December 12, 2015