Faye Baker

Our beautiful mother, grandmother, sister and friend passed away peacefully on July 2, 2020.  After spending several days in the hospital, she returned to her home the afternoon before her passing.  She let it be known to her family that she wanted to die in her home and her wish was honored.

Mom was born on October 1, 1935, in Funston, North Dakota, to Cecelia Elizabeth Zimmerman Peiler and Theodore Robert Peiler.  She was the oldest of two children.  She was so happy when her sister, Sandy joined the family.  Faye and Sandy always had a very special relationship growing up and that endured until Faye’s passing.  Faye and Sandy were both raised in the Catholic Faith.

Faye was married to Don Welk and from that union she had three children; Debbie Welk Bockwoldt, Bradley Michael Welk, and Jay D. Welk.  Faye raised her three children as a single mother until she met the love of her life, Jim P. Baker.  Jim was stationed in the Air Force, at Minot AFB, ND.  Jim and Faye met at the base hospital where she was a March of Dimes Volunteer.  They married on Oct 1, 1965 and Jim became an instant father to Faye’s three children.  Faye, Jim and their children were so excited to add Cheryl Ann to the family in March of 1967.  After Jim retired from the Air Force, he went to work for Boeing and the family lived in Minot, ND, Rapid City, SD, Sedalia, MO, Grand Forks, ND and finally made their way west to Utah.  Jim passed away at the age of 46 from a brain tumor.  Faye was left a widow at a very young age, but she continued to raise her family in Sunset, Utah.

Faye went to work for the Internal Revenue Service, in Ogden, Utah several years after Jim’s passing. She cherished the many friendships she made throughout the years.

Always a flower enthusiast, Faye kept an immaculate yard and beautiful flower gardens.    She enjoyed ceramics, cooking shows, home decorating magazines and she loved watching game shows. However, her greatest joy came from being with her family.  She dearly loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  Nothing made her more happy than having all of her family together at her home to celebrate Christmas Eve.

Left to cherish her legacy are her sister, Sandy (Ron) Cartwright, Anamoose, ND, her four children, Debbie Welk Bockwoldt, Layton, UT, Brad (Lori- Deceased) Welk, Roy, UT, Jay (LuAnn) Welk, Kaysville, UT, and Cheryl Baker, Layton, UT.  Faye had 12 grandchildren, Colby (Ashley) Bockwoldt, Jenny (Brad) Osguthorpe, Tyce Bockwoldt, Miles Welk, Madison Welk, Shea Welk (Jay) Barton, Casey (Nick) Axelrod-Welk, Jace (Jenna) Welk, Shanna Welk (Matt) Lauritzen, Tori Welk (Levi) Chapoose, Jordan Welk, and Caden Welk. She loved being great-grandma to 13 special angels that survive her, with four more great-grandchildren due in the coming months.  Her great grandchildren are Rees Bockwoldt, C. Nash Bockwoldt, Olivia Osguthorpe, Trey Larsen, Liam Welk, Remington Welk, Navy Welk, Scottie Welk, Cohen Barton, Porter Barton, Quincy Barton, Gwendolyn Barton, and Reeder Lauritzen.  Faye was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, her parents, Cecelia and Ted Peiler and her daughter-in-law, Lori Miles Welk.

The family would like to thank Faye’s Hospice Provider, Tender Care, for the wonderful care they have provided her the past year.  Also a very special thank you to her daughter, Cheryl and her son, Brad who went above and beyond to give her the special care she needed to be able to stay in her home.  Mom was so happy and grateful to have them both provide her with the care she needed.

Graveside services for Faye will be held at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery, in Anamoose, ND.

POEM OF LIFE

Life is but a stopping place,

A pause of what’s to be,

A resting place along the road,

To sweet eternity.

We all have different journeys,

Different paths along the way,

We all were meant to learn some things,

But never meant to stay....

Our destination is a place,

Far greater than we know,

For some the journey’s quicker,

For some the journey’s slow.

And when the journey finally ends,

We’ll claim a great reward,

And find an everlasting peace,

Together with the Lord.

Author Unknown