Daundra Jo Baker, 87, of Coloma, passed away Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 at the home of her granddaughter Sara, and Eric in Buchanan, where she was under their care.
Daundra was born Aug. 31, 1937, in Niles, the daughter of Donald and Dawn (Hatfield) Holcomb. She married the late Walter “Bud” L. Baker in their home in Benton Harbor, on Dec. 20, 1980. She attended Niles High School and graduated in 1955. She then graduated from Southwestern Michigan College with a Nursing Degree in 1975. She was a nurse for several years at area hospitals but sent most of her time at Berrien General Hospital, in Berrien Springs, and South Haven Hospital before retiring. She later went back to work at a local eye doctor in Saint Joseph, for several years before finally retiring permanently.
Daundra had a love for the Lord. She attended the Full Gospel Assembly in Hartford. She was very involved in the church and enjoyed going to services on Sunday mornings. She loved to sing and interact with the younger people in the church. She also was very known for her being a family historian. She not only did extensive research on her own family and extended family, but she helped others with theirs as well. She loved to go to cemeteries to do research and you could find her parked having lunch with one of her kids or grandkids from time-to-time.
Daundra was an avid mushroom hunter. It was her favorite pass time in the spring. She had her favorite spots, but only a few people knew her special spots. So, if you knew you knew.
She had a knack for cooking and crafting. She loved to make nut candy at Christmas time and food for church. She made the best ham and ham gravy during any of the holidays. She enjoyed making art from making Christmas bulbs to watercolor paintings. She was very talented.
Bud and Daundra loved to travel. Their favorite thing to do was camp in the Upper Peninsula. Daundra refused to use electronics and relied on her old trusty atlas to travel around the U.P. and she documented all their favorite spots on it. She loved to take the grand kids and great-grandkids snipe hunting too! But her grandkids would tell you that she made the best fires, and you could hear them when they were younger saying “Higher Nana, higher!”
But most of all, she loved her family; her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Daundra is preceded in passing by her loving husband, Walter “Bud” Baker, her parents and sister Darlene McGreal, daughter Carmean Douglas, son Joseph Barton Webster and grandson Jerimiah Statler.
She is survived by her daughters Victoria (Richard Freeman) Burlingham and Shonie (David) Cerri, son-in-law Kelly Douglas, and nine grandchildren; William, Anthony, Sara, Missy, Jennifer, Michael, Samantha, Kristina, Edward “Kelly” and sixteen great-grandchildren.
As per Daundra’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a private service will take place later. Anyone wishing to make a memorial in Daundra’s name may do so to either the Full Gospel Assembly Church of Hartford or the Centra Care Hospice of Kalamazoo. The family has entrusted the Calvin Funeral Home with arrangements. Those wishing to leave condolences for the family may do so at http://www.calvin-leonardfh.com.