Connie Baker's Memorial
Donation protected
Connie's Wish
Your love and friendship is the only gift that we ask for to remember Connie Baker. For those who have asked and have a strong deisre to show your support through a gift, we'd like to channel that energy to fulfill one of Connie's wishes. Cornelia's love of education and pride in her African-Amercian history prompted her wish to support the National Museum of African American History with a meaningful donation. With this gift, her legacy and almost 100 years of history, live on.
Cornelia "Connie" Baker: A Life Lived with Panache
Few people have had two outstanding careers as has Cornelia Lewis Baker. For 20 years she was a Detroit social worker, then went on to distinguish herself in the field of education as a highly acclaimed teacher, reading specialist, trainer of teachers, principal and curriculum developer.
Cornelia is also a founder of the Greater Wayne county (Michigan) chapter of The Links, Inc. for which she received a plaque from Oakland University. The Links, Inc. is an international non-profit volunteer service corporation of outstanding professional women of color in the arts, education and other fields, who work to make the world a better place for all people. She is a lifetime member of the NAACP and active in Delta Sigma Theta, an African American public service sorority.
Ironically, it was because of racial discrimination that she met her future husband. At the University of Michigan, Robert Edwoods Baker, as one of only three African American graduate students in the Department of Education, had little opportunity to meet girls. A friend at Wayne suggested he come ‘look over the crop” there. Spotting Cornelia coming out of her literature class, he asked who she was, and his friend said, " A transfer student from Oklahoma." Robert responded, "That’s just what I’m looking for!"
The date they met, November 2nd, turned out to be the anniversary of other major events in Cornelia’s life. It was on November 2nd that they married the next year. And two years later, November 2, 1942, their daughter, Beverly, was born. Connie and Bob were a special team.
Cornelia worked classes into her busy life as wife and mother, and earned her Master’s in Social Work. For the next twenty years she was a social worker, primarily for the State of Michigan. Meanwhile, realizing she wanted to teach, she returned to Wayne State and received her Masters of Arts in Education in 1960.
Cornelia taught elementary school in Detroit for seven years, earning high praise. From teaching, she moved on to become a reading specialist, serving in two different schools over the next three years. Afterwards, she worked in administration as a staff coordinator, was assistant principal at a middle school, then a curriculum specialist. But she was proudest of supervising students from Wayne state’s education department in their practice teaching, for which she received many commendations and awards from the University and the Detroit Board of Education.
Mom Connie had panache: a flamboyance, confidence, self-assurance, style, flair, zest, spirit, vitality, and energy. She was all of these with these and more. With sparkling blue eyes, an enviable full head of blond hair, a flair of a temper, deep love of family and friends, warmth to all, pride of being an African American, and unstoppable dancing feet. She represents an end of an era from a Southern migrant to a Northern achiever. She was a dedicated wife, mother, friend, grandmother and great-grandmother and excelled in all of these roles while her family benefited from her big heart and spirit.
Your love and friendship is the only gift that we ask for to remember Connie Baker. For those who have asked and have a strong deisre to show your support through a gift, we'd like to channel that energy to fulfill one of Connie's wishes. Cornelia's love of education and pride in her African-Amercian history prompted her wish to support the National Museum of African American History with a meaningful donation. With this gift, her legacy and almost 100 years of history, live on.
Cornelia "Connie" Baker: A Life Lived with Panache
Few people have had two outstanding careers as has Cornelia Lewis Baker. For 20 years she was a Detroit social worker, then went on to distinguish herself in the field of education as a highly acclaimed teacher, reading specialist, trainer of teachers, principal and curriculum developer.
Cornelia is also a founder of the Greater Wayne county (Michigan) chapter of The Links, Inc. for which she received a plaque from Oakland University. The Links, Inc. is an international non-profit volunteer service corporation of outstanding professional women of color in the arts, education and other fields, who work to make the world a better place for all people. She is a lifetime member of the NAACP and active in Delta Sigma Theta, an African American public service sorority.
Ironically, it was because of racial discrimination that she met her future husband. At the University of Michigan, Robert Edwoods Baker, as one of only three African American graduate students in the Department of Education, had little opportunity to meet girls. A friend at Wayne suggested he come ‘look over the crop” there. Spotting Cornelia coming out of her literature class, he asked who she was, and his friend said, " A transfer student from Oklahoma." Robert responded, "That’s just what I’m looking for!"
The date they met, November 2nd, turned out to be the anniversary of other major events in Cornelia’s life. It was on November 2nd that they married the next year. And two years later, November 2, 1942, their daughter, Beverly, was born. Connie and Bob were a special team.
Cornelia worked classes into her busy life as wife and mother, and earned her Master’s in Social Work. For the next twenty years she was a social worker, primarily for the State of Michigan. Meanwhile, realizing she wanted to teach, she returned to Wayne State and received her Masters of Arts in Education in 1960.
Cornelia taught elementary school in Detroit for seven years, earning high praise. From teaching, she moved on to become a reading specialist, serving in two different schools over the next three years. Afterwards, she worked in administration as a staff coordinator, was assistant principal at a middle school, then a curriculum specialist. But she was proudest of supervising students from Wayne state’s education department in their practice teaching, for which she received many commendations and awards from the University and the Detroit Board of Education.
Mom Connie had panache: a flamboyance, confidence, self-assurance, style, flair, zest, spirit, vitality, and energy. She was all of these with these and more. With sparkling blue eyes, an enviable full head of blond hair, a flair of a temper, deep love of family and friends, warmth to all, pride of being an African American, and unstoppable dancing feet. She represents an end of an era from a Southern migrant to a Northern achiever. She was a dedicated wife, mother, friend, grandmother and great-grandmother and excelled in all of these roles while her family benefited from her big heart and spirit.
Organizer
Beverly Baker-Kelly
Organizer
Oakland, CA
