Resident of San Jose

Elaine Dorothy Kessler Baker passed away on January 10, 2024 at the age of 79. Also affectionately known as “HHeylady, Lainey, Crazy Generous Kook, Nature Lady, Super Trooper, and Mimsey” by her children, and as “Mrs. Baker! Mrs. Baker!” by 37 years of students she taught while working at her beloved Glider Elementary School.

Born inLong Beach, CA in 1944, then raised in AZ, she went to Washington High School in north Phoenix. She attended ASU and then finished her BA degree at the University of Oregon in Eugene. She moved to San Jose in 1969 and to Blossom Valley in1975 where she lived the next 49 years.

She worked at Oak Grove School District for 37 years as Instructional Assistant, Homework Center Teacher, Mac Computer Lab Teacher, and then spent 15 years teaching 1st grade until she retired.

She had a deep love and connection with animals, wild and domestic. Her pets included dogs, cats, rabbits, and even a chinchilla. Her front and back yards served as welcoming reserves for a variety of wildlife. She delighted in the critters that would peep in her patio door window like possum, scrub jays, raccoons, ducks, red tailed hawks and the occasional snake. She loved hearing the coyotes and owls at night. She had neighborly honeybees nesting in her yard for 40 years.

Elaine's adventurous spirit extended beyond the classroom and her home. She travelled to destinations around the globe, including Mexico, China, Ireland, Scotland, England, and France. Closer to home, she loved daytrips to the coast, truck rides around her brother's ranches in northern Arizona, stays with her son and 2 grandchildren in Prescott, and trips to see her children and grandchildren in Hawaii. She delighted in watching spinner dolphins leap out of the water while aboard her daughter's dive boat off the Kona coast.

She loved being alive, and that helped her meet the heavier burdens of life like financial strain, death of loved ones, chronic conditions, and aging. She met her burdens with dignity and as much cheer as she could muster. Her doctors and nurses recount her enduring kindness and strength as inspirations to them. A recent excerpt from her gratitude journal- “Today I’m grateful for: my caring kids’ messages, Melva & Lyn (caretakers), good sleep last night, no stomach ache today, the nice staff at the hospital, watching the opossum eat the pancake in the backyard, the rain, and Sees candy.”

Elaine is survived by and dearly missed by Brother Alan Kessler; Children Sam, Mark and Cindi; Grandchildren Sophia, Jordyn, Jasmine and Eli; and of course her bees.

Donations in her honor can be made to The Stone Church of Willow Glen.