June S. Baker
June S. Baker, 93, of St. Clair, MO, formerly of Springfield, IL, died at 4:42 am, Sunday, September 4, 2022, at St. Clair Nursing Center. She was born June 15, 1929, in the rural Dawson, IL area known as Jordan. June was the daughter of Francis J. and Helen Elizabeth (Hanson) Sauers. Due to illness, June moved in with her daughter and son-in-law in 2014, later moving to assisted living in Washington, MO, and spent the last year of her life in a nursing facility in St. Clair, MO
She is survived by daughter Becky (Mark) Baxa of Villa Ridge, MO; two grandchildren, Timothy (Ashley) Baxa of Godfrey, IL and Michael (Sarah) Baxa of Jefferson City, MO; five great grandchildren, Dakota, Emma, Eleanor, Leighton and Andrew; one sister, Kathryn Bottrell of Decatur; five nieces and four nephews.
June was preceded in death by her parents, Helen, and Francis Sauers and 3 sisters: Marjorie McDaniel, Freda Follis and Mary Ely.
After graduating from High School, Tri-City in Buffalo, IL in 1946, June joined the workforce as a secretary with the Brown Haye Stevens Law Office. In July 1946 she began her 42-year career with Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, now known as Equitable AXA, as the district secretary. When her daughter went off to college June began her ”fun job” after work and evenings as a JC Penney associate working in the girls/infant department for 26 years. June’s work colleagues were more than someone she worked with, she cared for them and their families
as well.
June married her High School sweetheart, William Glenn Baker, Jr. October 1, 1950. They were divorced February 1995. June’s last church membership in Springfield was at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
June believed in volunteering to help others. Over the years she volunteered in the gift shop at Memorial Hospital, served as a night relief manager at Ronald McDonald House, and was a filing clerk at the Sangamon County circuit clerk’s office in Springfield.
June was an avid gardener and loved flowers! As the daughter of a WWI veteran, her patriotism ran deep and wide. She loved history, was very creative and resourceful and had a huge heart for God’s creatures.
June was baptized as a Christian and follower of Jesus Christ on June 5, 1963, at Rochester Christian Church in Rochester, IL. Raised with a mother of strong faith, she believed that God was her Lord and Savior. Her faith in God was unshakable. She tried her best to live by the scriptures that she loved and cherished believing that whatever you decided to do, to complete it to the best of her ability and that you should be content with what you have. Two of her favorite sayings were:
“The Lord helps those who help themselves” and “I’m doing pretty good, for the fix I’m in!”
Visitation: 12 – 2 pm, Sunday, September 11, 2022 at Staab Funeral Home – Springfield.
Funeral Service: 2:00 pm, Sunday, September 11, 2022 at Staab Funeral Home – Springfield with Chaplain Dean Hollenbeck officiating. Burial will follow at Mechanicsburg Cemetery.
Memorials: If you wish to honor June’s memory, please bless someone in need, participate in an act of kindness, reach out to someone struggling, say a kind/encouraging word to the downtrodden, visit/care for someone who is sick, old or lonely, donate needed items to the Ronald McDonald House, or a local mission for the homeless. This will ensure the kindness June showed to others will continue. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. “Ephesians 4:32
June’s life motto is an encouragement. “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
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