Linda Marie Baker of Sherman, TX passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, January 16th. She was 68 years old.

Linda was born in Rensselaer, Indiana on September 25,1954 to Robert James Payne and Hiroko "Jeanie" (Nukuriya) Payne. She attended Mooresville Highschool in Mooresville, IN and graduated from Cascade High School in Clayton, IN. She then attended Indiana State University in Terre Haute. After college Linda got a job as a proofreader at Alexander Typesetting Inc. It was there in 1977 that she not only met lifelong friends, but her future husband, Dennis Baker. They married in Indianapolis on June 1, 1984, and soon after moved to Sherman, TX for Dennis's job. Their daughter Brooke was born in 1988.

Linda was the activities coordinator at the Sherman Senior Citizen Center for nearly 25 years. She became an important part of her seniors' lives–checking in with their families, running errands for them before an ice storm, stopping by for visits at their homes, and going to the hospital when they were ill. Her office was a revolving door of people coming by to say hello or thank you. Among the activities that she helped plan or start at the Center are the Tri-county Fishing Tournament, Mother's Day Tea, Father's Day Pool Tournament, Christmas Silent Auction Fundraiser, Senior Spelling Bee, Senior Bowling, and the Senior Games.

Linda had the unique ability to see the beauty in things that other people couldn't. With friends and family, this meant that she loved unconditionally, flaws-and-all. Her long-lasting friendships are a testament to the kind of person she was–she'd known her friend Kathy since the 4th grade. As a crafter, she could look at what some people might call a piece of junk, and instead see a birdhouse, or a funky piece of jewelry. With her friend Val's help she brought these creations to life and sold them at Arts Fest for several years.

In addition to crafting, Linda had many other talents. She took up her husband's hobby of bowling and turned out to be pretty good with an average of 160. She was a great card player–especially at Euchre–and loved playing games with the seniors, her Hoosier friends, and at parties with her "poker girls". She had a beautiful garden filled with irises–her favorite flower–gazing balls, and the one-of-a-kind art she created. A true animal lover, Linda adopted cats, dogs, and at one point even a Tarantula named Harry. She came up with the idea that for every member of the "poker girls'" birthday, each friend would sew a quilt square, and then they'd all be joined together into a finished quilt as a gift. Now those quilts are a reminder of her creativity and the warmth of her friendship.

Linda loved traveling to visit friends and family and going on adventures with her girlfriends, but her favorite place to visit was the white sand beaches of St. Pete Beach, Florida. Whether floating in the warm waters of the gulf, or hunting for seashells with Brooke, she had so many happy memories there.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Robert Payne Jr. She is survived by her husband Dennis, her daughter Brooke and husband Thomas Douglass of Denver, CO, her sister Nancy Clement of Plainfield, IN, her stepfather James Fletcher of Lititz, PA, her stepmother Charlene Payne of Indianapolis, IN, and countless dear friends and former colleagues.

Linda was loved by so many and will be missed terribly.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Planned Parenthood or the Sherman Senior Citizen Center. For Senior Center donations, go to gofundme.com/f/linda-marie-baker , or mail a check made out to the Senior Citizen Activity Fund to 1500 N Broughton St. Sherman, TX 75090.