Margaret McKinney Baker

Margaret McKinney Baker passed away quietly on April 19, 2025, at the age of 91, in Mandeville, LA, near her youngest daughter, Suzanne Cole. Her husband, Gene, had passed just 19 days prior. She lived in Hamilton, IL, for 54 years. Her parents were Edward and Lillie McKinney. She was the last of their 12 children to pass away and is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and grands. She is also survived by her two daughters, Katherine A. (Baker) Smith, (Andrew Butler), and Suzanne Baker Cole (Harry A. Cole, III). She has four grandchildren: Katie Beth (Smith) Blumenfeld, Alexandra A. (Smith) Palmer, Nicholas B. Smith, and Ruth (Cole) Leow. She has three great-grandchildren, Jeremiah Palmer, Leo Palmer, Daniel Blumenfeld, and a future Palmer great-granddaughter.

Margaret was born December 17, 1933, in Dustin, Oklahoma, and lived there with family until leaving for college at East Central College in Ada, Oklahoma. She met her husband in 1955 and after a whirlwind romance that never faded, married B. Gene Baker in May of 1955. They will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in Heaven on May 29, 2025.

Margaret graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education in 1955, and although it took a few years, she finally settled into the job of teaching music. This passion for music education served her well throughout the rest of her entire life, whether it was teaching in schools, private piano lessons, conducting a variety of choirs, and producing many musical programs. She had a flair for creating unique and entertaining productions, which were enjoyed by both the participants and audiences.

Shortly before retiring from public school teaching, she and Gene started the First Baptist Church of Hamilton, IL. During Gene’s tenure as pastor, Margaret continued to use her gifts and talents to serve the congregation by writing puppet stories and Bible curriculum, leading adult and children’s choirs, and continuing to produce creative and spiritual concerts.

Margaret also used her creative talents to design hair ribbons and Communion veils. She was a prolific seamstress and also enjoyed home interior design with her family enjoying the fruits of her talents. While Gene focused on the vegetable garden, Margaret excelled in flower gardening. Visitors enjoyed both the exterior and interior beauty of their home and land.

She will be greatly missed by not only her family, but also the many other lives she touched in the Hamilton community.

Margaret will be cremated in LA with a private family service held at a later date. Anyone wishing to remember Margaret’s faithful service to the Lord may make a donation to either Samaritan’s Purse or Ruth Leow, of Campus Crusade, #1049751.