Wendy K. Baker

Wendy K. Baker (nee Barclay) Born Oct. 19, 1949 Mason City, IA., quietly passed on July 17, 2020 in Pittsburgh, PA. Wendy was born and raised in Mason City, IA. Her father Jim, owned a welding and industrial gas supply company and her mother, Martha, was a PhD. who taught Shakespeare and Old Testament at the community college. Ever the free spirit, Wendy kept her family busy before attending and graduating from Miami University in Ohio. There, she studied art and was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. It was at Miami where she met her future husband, Philip Baker. While the two divorced only a few years after they married, they managed to give birth to a son, Josh (b. 1973), whom Wendy gave everything she had to make a happy life. It was not easy for a single, divorced mother in the late 70's and 80's but Wendy always sacrificed all her needs and wants for her son. Eventually, Wendy relocated to be near her elder sister Diane in Connecticut. Despite a short period in Wellesley, MA. , Wendy lived in Fairfield County, CT. for nearly 35 years before moving to Pittsburgh in 2015 to be closer to her son and grandchildren. Throughout her life, Wendy held a variety of positions in numerous industries. She worked as a teacher, an associate and HR manager at Macy's, a buyer and store manager at Nine West, a store manager for Motherhood Maternity and G. Fox among other positions/employers. Despite her mostly retail professional inclinations, Wendy's true passion and strength lay in her creativity and her writing. Wendy loved anything imaginative and different and it was in her writing where her creativity was set free upon a new and wild frontier of stories and characters. Despite the prodding of friends, family and professionals she was never satisfied with her work and was reluctant to ever publish. Ever the social butterfly, Wendy would strike up conversations with anyone and everyone. She would be so engaged with whom she was talking, that they immediately became near best friends. It was amazing how perfect strangers would share their life stories and deepest secrets to her. Perhaps, it was how empathetic and sympathetic she was to all around her. She always wanted to give and be friendly to everyone she met. Even in her final days, she was overtly apologetic to everyone who aided her comfort and well being. Wendy was preceded by her Father and Mother James and Martha (nee Thomson) Barclay. She is survived by her Sister, Diane Ratcliffe (nee Barclay), Brother, Tad Barclay, Son, Josh (Rachel) Baker, her two Grandchildren, several Nieces and Nephews and a Brother and Sister-in law. "And you, my mother, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light". Wendy will be buried at Penn Forest Natural Burial Park. Professional services trusted to D'ALESSANDRO FUNERAL HOME and CREMATORY LTD., Lawrenceville. www.dalessandroltd.com In lieu of flowers, the family requests instead that a donation be made in her name to either: Breast Cancer Program for Breast Cancer Research, Smilow Cancer Center- Yale, New Haven, CT 06510 Colorado Outward Bound School, Scholarship Program. Denver Colorado, 80212 National Park Service, Washington, DC 20240

Wendy K. Baker

October 19, 1949 - July 17, 2020