Blanche Baker

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 in the Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers for Blanche Baker, 97, who passed away on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 in Lynn, Massachusetts where she was living with her son. Reverend David Hebert will conduct the funeral services. Burial will take place, at a later date, in Lakeview Cemetery in Lake Arthur, LA A native of Port Barre, she was born in November 20, 1914 to her parents the late Rodolphe Arnaud of Pontac, France and the former Madeline Guilhas of Leonville, Louisiana, She was married to Ira Dow Baker on August 26, 1942 in Port Barre, who died on May 19, 1957. Blanche was a graduate of Opelousas High School and received a BA and M. Ed degree at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now ULL) in Lafayette, LA and a Master of Business Economics at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana. She was an outstanding educator, having taught in Port Barre, Lafayette and Lake Arthur, where she spent most of her life. She was an accomplished artist and seamstress as well as a reading specialist. She took great pride in helping students who, through traditional methods, were having difficulty learning to read. In this, she was quite proficient. Her love for cooking and entertaining family and friends was well known. She also had a great love for reading and all sports, especially the New Orleans Saints. One of her favorite extracurricular activities in Lake Arthur was playing 'booray' with friends whom she cherished. She will be well remembered by her grandchildren and close friends as M'M're. She is survived by a daughter, Brenda Gary of Lafayette, a son, Michael Baker of Lynn, Massachusetts and his life partner, Tommy Rider, a daughter-in-law, Emelie Baker of Lake Arthur; grandchildren, David Baker, Kevin Gary, Krisa Choplin, Krista Simar, Victoria Baker and Amanda Aguillard; nine great grandchildren, Tucker, Chase and Julianna Gary, Emme Baker, Kirsten and Ashtin Choplin, Cole and Colin Simar and Kylen Aguillard and a large number of nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, William Baker and thirteen siblings, Rose Reaux, Heloise DeVillier, Lucie McBride, Alfred, Marie, Anatole, Beatrice, Louie, Clause, Charles, Simon, Regina and Clarisse Maude Arnaud. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette on Monday from 2:00 pm until 8:00 pm and continue Tuesday from 8:00 am until the time of services. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, monetary memorials be made to Hospice of Acadiana, 2600 Johnston Street, Ste. 200, Lafayette, LA 70503, masses at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 2319 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA 70503 or the charity of your choices. Personal condolences may be sent to the family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Blanche Baker

November 20, 1914 - November 23, 2011