Elaine E. Baker, 72

Her husband’s best friend and true soulmate, Elaine E. Baker, passed from this life into her eternal home on March 22, 2022, after a short struggle with a viral infection. In addition to having her Savior by her side at the end, she also had her husband of 33 years, Bill Baker, as well as both of their children, Kevin and Amber Baker.

Elaine was the daughter of Donald and Ellen Dixon of Spokane Valley and was born on Aug. 17, 1949, in Spokane. She was the middle child of four brothers as the “rose among thorns” even though they joked that she was the thorn among roses.

Her family worked on a farm in LaCrosse, Wash., before moving to Buckeye, Ariz., when she was a year old to work on her grandfather's farm. They quit farming life and moved back to Spokane for a few months when Elaine was six before making a move to Valleyford, Wash., between 1956 and 1960. One final move back to Spokane was made when Elaine was 11 and she attended Shaw Junior High School before attending Roger’s High School from which she graduated in 1967. She always had fond memories of being a Roger’s Pirate and wore purple and gold with pride. From high school she went across country and attended a Christian liberal arts college in Cedarville, Ohio, and graduated from Cedarville College (now Cedarville University) in 1971 with a BA in business administration.

She had her first job following college teaching secondary business at Pensacola Christian School in Florida. This only lasted until 1974 because she missed her family and also the joy of having four distinct seasons in Spokane. Back in Spokane she found a career that would last her until she retired serving as an administrative secretary and human resource specialist for Spokane Public Schools in their administration building.

While working in Spokane she found another single lady who attended the same church and agreed to share living expenses. This lasted until one day another member of their church singles group asked for a ride to Fairchild AFB since he was leaving for a two week Air National Guard summer camp in Germany. They all knew each other for the previous seven years, but it wasn’t until that day that her future husband ambushed her there just before the plane was ready to load and asked if she was willing to marry him.

It was on the following June 11, 1988, that Elaine Dixon became Elaine Baker and they started on a life’s journey that could only be called blessed. Unbeknownst to them, their future adopted son, Kevin, had just been born in Sacramento, Calif., and his sister, Amber, would be born two years later in Pasco, Wash. Elaine showered the whole family with unconditional love.

The family has moved a few times since but always in the Spokane area until they finally crossed the border and landed for good in Post Falls, Idaho, in August 2007.

Elaine was never a person to let a minute go to waste and spent all her free time working on crafts of sewing, quilting and her last and greatest hobby, being a Creative Memories scrap-booking consultant which resulted in volumes of memories for which her family and friends will always be thankful.

Elaine is survived by her husband Bill, her children Kevin Baker of Spokane and Amber Baker of Post Falls her mother Ellen Dixon of Spokane; brothers: Richard Dixon of Odessa, Texas; Edward Dixon of Spokane Valley; John Dixon of Spokane and David Dixon of Spokane. She was preceded in death by her father Donald Dixon and a nephew Justin Dixon.

A memorial service is scheduled at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 30, at New Hope Bible Church, 1445 N Argonne Road, Spokane Valley.