Diane Ruth Baker

Diane Ruth (Egeness) Baker, age 85, was born to Leona (Brase) Egeness and Howard Egeness. Her family lived on a farm near Meriden, MN and attended St. Paul’s Lutheran Church where Diane began serving as organist at a very young age. She attended the Meriden Country School through the primary grades and graduated from Owatonna High School with the Class of 1958. Following High School, Diane attended the Minnesota School of Nursing and graduated with the Class of 1959. She then worked as a Medical Technician for Dr. Ray Davis, in Waseca, until he retired. Diane married Arleigh Baker of Waseca on September 26, 1964. Son Alan was born in 1966 and Thomas in 1969. While living in Waseca, Diane loved volunteering for school, neighborhood and church activities, especially those involving children’s celebrations. She was especially fond of Christmas celebrations. In December of 1973, the family moved to Longwood Florida, where Diane continued to volunteer for school, neighborhood and church activities. Diane enjoyed traveling with her family and also with her parents. She and her parents made a memorable visit to Norway in 1983, enjoying the scenery and searching for distant family. Arleigh’s mother (Margaret) moved to Florida in 1978, into a home a few miles away. Diane provided much love and care, throughout Margaret’s life in Florida, until she passed from Alzheimer’s in 2006. In 2016, Diane suffered a vascular stroke which impaired her speech immediately and caused her great frustration. From that point on, new symptoms of Dementia began to progressively appear and she eventually became unable to care for herself. Diane was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Leona Egeness and her brothers, Howard John Egeness and David Carl Egeness. She is survived by her Sister, Donna May Jacobsen, her husband, Arleigh, her sons Alan and Thomas, her granddaughters Megan Johnson, Amanda Bara, Allison Baker, Madeline Baker, Jewel Johnson and Skyler Johnson and her many nephews and nieces. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Advent Health Hospice Care Of Central Florida at: https://give.adventhealth.com/give/443568/#!/donation/checkout

Diane Ruth Baker

January 22, 1940 - October 27, 2025