Kittie Augusta "Gussie" (Davenport) Baker
Marriages
Marion Wilmer Baker - April 8, 1934
at Gypsum, Colorado
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 8 - June 29, 2006
Kittie Augusta (Gussie) Baker passed away at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs on June 7, at the age of 93.
Gussie was born on October 26, 1912, at the Grundel Brothers Ranch south of Gypsum (now known as Cotton Ranch). Her parents were Homer D. Davenport and Edith M. (Grundel) Davenport.
Gussie attended the Gypsum schools and graduated from Eagle County High School (ECHS) in 1930. Gussie was a basketball player, earning the distinction of All Star Forward and High Point Girl for ECHS at the Western Slope Tournament in Rifle in 1930.
She attended Ross Business College in Grand Junction in the fall of 1930, where she also played basketball, and was captain of her team. She also pitched softball for three years.
On April 8, 1934, Gussie married Marion W. Baker of Grand Junction in Gypsum. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary and hosted the Baker Family Reunion in June 2004.
In 1947, Marion and Gussie opened the Baker’s Market in Gypsum. The market was later sold to Clarence and Georgia Lewis.
Gussie then went to work in the County Clerk’s office. She retired from Eagle County after 23 years of service.
During her lifetime, she served in and held various offices in the following organizations: The Eagle County Pioneers, Gypsum Lutheran Ladies, American Legion Auxiliary Unit #150, Crater Rebekah Lodge #105, Fraternal Order of Eagles #215 and the Gypsum Volunteer Fire Department. She also worked with the Vail Auction and Rummage Sale for many years and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Gypsum.
In 1954, Gussie won the Western Colorado State Cowbelle’s Council “Entertaining with Beef†cooking contest in Fort Collins.
She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Art and Helen Davenport of Gypsum; nieces Mary Ann Davenport, Patty Jean Hubbard and Carol Ann Newby; and nephews Fred Davenport and Ron Davenport. She is also survived by numerous great- and great-great-nieces and nephews, and also by many close friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Marion, brother Fred Davenport, Aunt Hilma Grundel, Uncle William Grundel, niece Fay Marie Davenport (Hutchinson), nephew Don Davenport, and great-nephew David McIlveen.
A memorial service for Gussie will be held on Thursday, June 29, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Gypsum (corner of Vicksburg Lane and 2nd Street). In-lieu of flowers donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Gypsum Building Fund, P.O. Box 815, Gypsum, Colo. 81637.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 8 - July 6, 2006
Arn Menconi, "Farewell to Gussie.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of one of his saints.†(Psalms 116:15)
This past week was the funeral of one of the most loving and compassionate persons I ever knew – Gussie Baker. She was 93 years old. Born in Gypsum in 1912, she lived in what is now the sales office at Cotton Ranch. The first time I met Gussie, was at the Senior Center in Eagle with her husband, Marion. They had a special way of drawing folks in with their gentle words and smiles. Each time I went back to the Senior Center for lunch, I would look for Gussie and Marion and sit next to them. I didn’t wish to have favorites, but the more I got to know them, the more I just fell in love with their kindness.
The last time I saw Marion, was the celebration of their 70th wedding anniversary in April of 2004. Marion was wearing his wedding suit, and Gussie, her wedding dress. Everyone could see that they never stopped being newlyweds. And, to think that they saved their wedding outfits for 70 years.
At Marion’s funeral, I realized that this was a very uncommon couple in a very special time in our history. They had seen so much change in the last century, from horse-drawn buggies to the high speed Internet. They had also been the couple without children who took everyone in as their own. There were stories of protecting strangers from the cold winters with warm cooking and hot coffee. While we stood by the grave, I watched Gussie’s strength in consoling the grieving fire chief’s son, Thad Vroman, who called Marion grandpa. I wondered how you lose your husband, best friend and soul mate after 70 years, no longer seeing them sitting at the kitchen table or hearing them in the next room. After Marion died, even through her personal grief, Gussie still had that glow, that all encompassing love for everyone around her. In our fast paced world, I could learn from Gussie and Marion my part in the cultivation of life’s cycles.
The time went by, and Gussie asked about my new daughter and my wife. I told her I would bring Maya by so she could see her. About a year ago, I went to the Senior Center and they told me Gussie had moved to a nursing home in Glenwood Springs, where she could receive the assistance she had come to need. I told myself I would go and visit with my wife and daughter, so we could sit with Gussie and soak in her love for everyone and everything.
Earlier this month, I was out of town on a conference, when I received an early morning call that Gussie had died in the night. I was told she wanted to go “home.†She said, “This was no way for someone to live.â€
“She had lived a long and good life,†my friend consoled. I was so sad for losing such a beautiful woman, and angry with myself for not having visited. Gussie knew what she stood for. Gussie believed in love and compassion, and she lived it.
I was scheduled to deliver a presentation about Early Childhood Development to county commissioners from around the state the day I learned Gussie died; but instead, I talked about Gussie Baker. I tried to find Gussie’s pure courage, and declared that no one should ever die without someone knowing what you are committed to. It would seem a meaningless life if one passed away without knowing what you believed in – what you would die for. Gussie Baker was a living example of love and compassion. At her funeral, friends and family spoke and cried about how giving she was. Story after story told how Gussie treated each of them like his or her own mother.
As we walked behind the 1929 fire truck that carried Gussie’s ashes to the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Gypsum, I thought about how fast spaced everything has gotten in our world. I contemplated how hard it is to be like Gussie and Marion, so present in moving to life’s orchestrations, so unshaken in their faith in God. As Pastor Foster said, “Gussie is home in heaven with the Lord, and she would want all of you to know that she believed in prayer and in Jesus Christ.â€
We knew who you were, Gussie Baker, and we are all the better for it. You knitted your fabric into our hearts. From you we can learn to live more lovingly.
Arn Menconi is an Eagle County commissioner.
Vail Daily page A8 - June 26, 2006
Kittie Augusta "Gussie" Baker died June 7 at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs. She was 93.
Baker was born to Homer D. Davenport and Edith M. (Grundel) Davenport on Oct. 26, 1912, at the Grundel Brothers Ranch (now Cotton Ranch) south of Gypsum.
Baker attended the Gypsum schools and graduated from Eagle County High School in 1930. As a basketball player, she was an all-star forward and the "high point" girl for the high school at the Western Slope Tournament in Rifle in 1930.
She attended Ross Business College in Grand Junction in the fall of 1930, where she was the captain of the basketball team and a pitcher on the softball team.
On April 8, 1934, in Gypsum, she married Marion W. Baker of Grand Junction. They celebrated their 70th anniversary and hosted the Baker family reunion in June 2004.
In 1947, they opened Baker's Market in Gypsum. The store was later sold to Clarence and Georgia Lewis. Gussie retired from Eagle County after 23 years of service.
Baker served and held various offices in the following organizations: The Eagle County Pioneers, Gypsum Lutheran Ladies, American Legion Auxiliary Unit #150, Crater Rebekah Lodge #105, Fraternal Order of Eagles #215 and the Gypsum Volunteer Fire Department. She also worked with the Vail Auction and Rummage Sale for many years and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Gypsum.
In 1954, she won the Western Colorado State Cowbelles Council's entertaining with an indoor beef cookery contest at Fort Collins.
She was preceded in death by parents; her husband; brother Fred Davenport; aunt Hilma Grundel; uncle William Grundel; niece Fay Marie Davenport (Hutchinson); nephew Don Davenport; and great-nephew David McIlveen.
She is survived by her brother, Art (Helen) Davenport of Gypsum; nieces Mary Ann Davenport, Patty Jean Hubbard and Carol Ann Newby; and nephews Fred Davenport and Ron Davenport. She also is survived by numerous great- and great-great-nieces and nephews, and many close friends.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, at the First Baptist Church of Gypsum, on the corner of Vicksburg Lane and 2nd Street.
