Baker, Frieda Dansberger

Frieda Arlene Dansberger Baker of Blacksburg, Va., died Saturday, July 28, 2007. She was born in Arlington, Va., on February 8, 1928, the daughter of the late Vernon Lorenzo and Frieda Anna Dierolf Dansberger.

Her surviving siblings are Gloria Dansberger Keet of Huntington Beach, Ca. and Paul Mangold Dansberger of Highlandsprings, Va. Frieda was preceded in death by her brothers Vernon, Luther, and Harold Dansberger, and her half-brother Raymond Locke Edward.

She was the beloved wife of her husband of 59 years, Moorman (Zip) Shepherd Baker. They were looking forward to celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary, next March 2008 in "Liberty Hall" in Columbia, Va., the family home of Zip and foster home of Frieda and Paul.

In the last year, Frieda and Zip had begun an extensive renovation of the home in the community that they loved and with which they stayed in touch. She faithfully attended the September Homecomings at Oakwood United Methodist Church, her childhood church, where she and Zip could reminisce and enjoy being with their many family members and friends in the area.

Frieda’s life-long passions were her family (especially the children) and friends, gardening, the church community, and Va. Tech Football. She was a member of the Class of 1949 at Longwood College, where she majored in Elementary Education and then taught in Cumberland and Montgomery Counties for over 20 years. She is a member of the Retired Teachers Association, Montgomery County RSVP, XYZs, and the Va. Tech Agronomy Retired Wives Association.

She taught Sunday School for many years at Blacksburg United Methodist Church, and worked in the church nursery and with young acolytes. Frieda treasured her friends in the Blacksburg United Methodist Women’s Circle #4. She volunteered with the Blood Mobile, at Warm Hearth, and baby-sat for mothers attending Bible Study. Frieda was an avid gardener up until the very last days of her life with large vegetable and flower gardens.

Frieda also was beloved mother and mother-in-law to Hite and Anita Baker (Perkasie, Pa.), Moe and Anna Marshall-Baker (Blacksburg, Va.), Randy and Karen Baker (St. Simons Island, Ga.), Stuart (deceased) and Vicky Baker (Blacksburg, Va.), and Vernon and Lisa Baker (Charlottesville, Va.); grandmother to Meade, Corrie, Vernon, Tyler, Quinten, Alden, Haley, Marshall, Madison, Gallion, Maury and Keely; and great-grandmother to Manny, Aderyn, and Ethan.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, July 31, 2007 at 11 a.m. in the Blacksburg United Methodist Church with Rev. Morris Fleischer officiating. Another Funeral service will be held Wednesday, August 1, 2007 at 11 a.m. in the Oakwood United Methodist Church, Columbia, Va., with burial following in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Blacksburg United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 931, Blacksburg, Va., 24063. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Monday evening at McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive, SW, Blacksburg.