Lenny W. Baker

Helena Joanna Wemmers “Lenny” Baker, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend, passed away peacefully and entered heaven on Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at her home in Gainesville at the age of 85.

Lenny was born in The Hague, Netherlands and raised in Rotterdam during the Nazi Occupation.  She met the love of her life, Jim Baker, in 1955 while he was in the Netherlands training for the Olympics.  It was truly love at first sight!  After knowing each other for six weeks Jim returned home to Texas and sent her a plane ticket to the USA.  She moved to Dallas, Texas and never looked back.  They married on November 8, 1955.  They welcomed Irene and Rock in the 1950s and the family moved to Gainesville in December of 1967 where they started Gibsons on Thompson Bridge Road.  They employed and had great relationships with many locals throughout the years. 

Lenny was a member of the Laurel Garden Club, Gainesville Book Club, and a 25 year volunteer with Northeast Georgia Medical Center as well as a proud supporter of Good News at Noon.  She enjoyed playing tennis, traveling, and being an avid reader, however her great love was playing bridge with all of her very dear friends. 

Her family brought her great joy!  From traveling together to the beach, St. John, and skiing out west to playing dominoes and cards and having hot tea and cookies, she always wanted to be together.  The entire family enjoyed many trips together exploring and relaxing.  Through the years she savored life with her dear family and friends from the Netherlands, Hans and Lidy and Tuta, as they traveled together and visited each other in their homes.  She developed life long friendships in Texas and Gainesville and loved to tell stories of all the fun times she and Jim shared with their friends.  Amazing restaurants and big family meals together was something she cherished - she always looked forward to the next time everyone would be at a table together!  She was a loving and generous “Omie” to her grandchildren and their friends and an adoring “Bobo” to her great grandchildren.  Her family misses her tremendously.

One of her favorite sayings was “be a doer of the word.”  She lived out her devotion and faith in Jesus through her life and in her home church of First Baptist and then later at St. Luke.  She and Jim developed wonderful friendships in their Friendship Sunday School class at First Baptist.  She truly loved the Lord!

Special thank you to Regina Barnes and Debbie Helton as her loyal caregivers.  They enjoyed special drives to Dahlonega and dinners together.  Thank you to Helping Hands, Vickie Greenwood, Hospice Nurse Dana and Social Worker for Hospice, Monique. 

Lenny is survived by her daughter, Irene Baker (David Sinyard), son Rock Baker (Inna), Granddaughter Lindsay Smithson (Eric), Grandson Baker Davenport (Candace) and five Great Grandchildren, Wynn, Ryder and McKew Smithson and Wilder and Birdie Davenport.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 41 years, Jim Baker, her parents, Nellie and Paul Wemmers, her brother, Hank Wemmers and her sister, Nelleke Thomas.

A private graveside will be held at Alta Vista Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, January 7, 2022 at Little Davenport Funeral Home Chapel at 11am with Dr. Bill Coates officiating.  The family will receive friends and celebrate Lenny’s life after the memorial service at noon at Lunas. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to Eagle Ranch (5500 Union Church Rd., Flowery Branch, GA 30542), American Cancer Society (615 Oak St. B, Gainesville, Ga 30501), St. Luke or First Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA. 

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home & Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Georgia 30501 is in charge of arrangements.

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