How blessed were we to have 87 years and 19 days with our sweet mother, Mary Lou Hardy Baker?  She went home to Jesus on August 1, 2025.  As her family is saddened to think about a life without her, we are thrilled to know her body is healed, and she is singing too loudly in God's chorus in heaven. Heaven received a special angel!

Mary Lou was married to Fletcher Bizzell Baker, Sr. (Deceased) for 60+ years. Together they raised three children who all survive her: Fletcher Bizzell "Bizz" Baker, Jr. (and his wife Amye) of Holly Ridge, NC; Melissa Lou Baker Smith (and her husband James) of Grand Rapids, MI; and Timothy "Tim" Hardy Baker (and his wife Patty) of North Topsail Beach, NC.  She and Fletcher reveled in the delight of being "Mema and Papa" to their six grandchildren: Chip Baker (married Adrienne), Jes Smith (married Rachel), Zack Baker (married Kate), Jacob Smith (married Courtney), Carly Baker, and Ty Baker (married Allison), their ten great-grandchildren Kirsten, Jay, Luke, Kelsa, Nate, Harlan, Leila, Elias, Eleanor, and Hendrik, one great-great-grandchild, Raeleigh, and the bonus gift by God of Jacob and Jonathan Cuellar. She also loved her many nieces and nephews.  They spent most of the early 2000's joyfully attending soccer games, track meets, wrestling tournaments, and football games, while also making time to visit all 50 states concluding with a family girls' trip to Oregon in 2014.  One of the greatest joys of Mema's life was being able to travel and visit her daughter and daughter's family wherever they were living from Germany to Grand Rapids.

Mary Lou was born in Hugo, NC, on July 13, 1938, to Raymond Taylor Hardy (deceased) and Jimmie Margaret Smith Hardy (deceased).  After her mother Jimmie's passing in 1945, she was raised alongside her sister, Fay Taylor Hardy (deceased) by her aunt and uncle, Dan and Eula "Sissy" Walters (both deceased).  She is survived by her younger sister Margaret Ann Hardy Goode (married Michael (deceased)).  Her brother, James Hardy died in 1939.   In 1950, her father married Grace Etta Pearson Hardy (deceased), and Grace became another mother-figure to Mary Lou.  While her childhood was anything but "normal, "Mary Lou's faith sustained her as she grew and sought after God.

She graduated from Grainger High School in Kinston and Hardbarger Junior College of Business.  She married her high school sweetheart, Fletcher, in 1958 in Kinston.

After moving to Jacksonville in 1962 where they raised their 3 children, Mary Lou went back to college and received her teaching degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and later her Master's in Education from East Carolina University.  She taught for 25 years in Onslow County Public Schools.  She and her family always loved when her former students would stop her in a public place and remind her of what a wonderful teacher she was and how she influenced their lives.

A mother is the backbone of every family and Mary Lou was no exception.  She loved her family unconditionally often helping out with cheerleading, driving carpools, working concessions, cooking countless meals, and helping her family in whatever capacity they needed.  Some of her family's favorite memories of her include how she read The Night Before Christmas aloud every Christmas Eve, loved swimming which allowed her to whitewater raft in West Virginia and Georgia with all six of her grandchildren, and made unbeatable lemon meringue pies when she hosted more than 50 people for Thanksgiving for decades. Mary Lou's faith guided her life, and Christ dwelled in her heart.  She began attending a Presbyterian church when she was just 8 years old.  She and her sister Fay would walk hand-in-hand to that church in Kinston each Sunday morning to attend Sunday school and church.  The seeds of her faith were planted during those visits.  Her love for Jesus led her to serve Him in a multitude of ways for more than 80 years.  She loved walking alongside women in Bible study; praying without ceasing; baking cookies for Kairos, a prison ministry; and sharing her fierce love for Jesus with everyone.  Her love for her family and Jesus sustained her throughout her life.  She was a warrior and would want all of those who loved her to be filled with the fullness of God!  Ephesians 3:14-21.  Mary Lou's family watched her live her life daily seeking to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

We would like to express our thankfulness to all who visited, prayed for, and loved our mother and Mema. We are especially grateful to all of the caregivers at Arbor Landing of Hampstead.  They, too, loved our mother and cared for her with such godly tenderness.  God is good...all the time.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at Pine Valley UMC, 910 Pine Valley Road, Jacksonville at 3 pm with Reverend Mike Eubanks officiating. The family will receive guests 1 hour prior and a meal will follow the service.