Mary Louise Baker

Obituary

Mary Lou Baker

July 8, 1928 - October 6, 2014

Mary Lou Baker, 86, passed away on Oct. 6, 2014, in Thermopolis, WY. She was born on July 8, 1928 in Miles City, Montana to Uriel and Elizabeth Cooper.

Her parents were both teachers, as well as her father being a lay Methodist minister. During her upbringing the family lived in a number of small towns in Montana. After graduation from Great Falls High School, she attended the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. She loved music and conducted a 30 woman college choir. She completed her 4 year degree and Master's degree at Western College of Education in Dillon, MT. Her first teaching job was in Sheridan, MT teaching 3rd and 4th grade.

She married Henry (Hank) Meine of Dillon, MT on Dec. 28, 1950 in Three Forks, MT. Hank was a rancher, pilot and aircraft mechanic. The roads between the Dillon ranch and Sheridan were not the best in those days, so Hank landed his J-3 Piper Cub in a hay field near the school on Friday afternoons. They worked together on weekends to build their first home. They had 3 children during the years in Dillon. Hank worked hard building a flying service with contracts from state and federal agencies. In March of 1962 his plane crashed while carrying a fish and game observer on a spring elk count; both men died in the crash.

In May 1964 Mary Lou married Gary Holthaus. They obtained teaching positions at Naknek, AK, a "bush" village accessible only by air or water. The locals helped Mary Lou put together a shopping list of their "grubsteak" for the winter. The cost was about $2000 in 1964. In 1966 Gary & Mary Lou moved to Kenai, AK and then to Anchorage in 1967. Mary Lou taught elementary school in both places. June 1970 she and Gary divorced.

On September 1, 1970 she left with her two sons for Scotland. Mary Lou was 42. While there she wrote an exceptionally well composed chapter for her autobiography. "We were 7000 miles from home. But for a time, and an interesting time it was, Scotland was home. We have chosen again to live with the hardy people." She returned to Dillon, MT just after Easter 1971.

In September 1972 Mary Lou began an eighteen year stint teaching K-1st grade at the Yellowstone Park School for the children of park employees. This was an outstanding location as she loved back packing, cross country skiing, canoeing and bicycle camping. She enjoyed traveling to different parts of the US and a trip to Korea, Japan & China. Mary Lou also enjoyed painting, quilting and volunteer work for the Methodist Church. During this time she met and married Ken Stubbs, an Englishman. After a few years he returned to England.

In September 1990, after her retirement to Hamilton, MT, Mary Lou decided to learn to square dance. The club secretary said she needed to bring a partner. Mary Lou had none, so the secretary called Bob Baker, an inactive member, to be her dance partner. He hadn't a clue to what a strong partnership would develop over the next 24 years. Six years later they moved together to Ten Sleep, WY. It was the most fortunate move either had ever made. A few years later Mary Lou and Bob were married in Three Forks, MT.

She is survived by her husband Bob Baker; brothers Arthur Cooper & James Cooper; children Linda Engebretsen, Cliff Meine & Charles Meine; 4 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. A memorial service will be November 1, 2014 at 1:00 pm at Ten Sleep United Methodist Church. Bryant Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.