Josephine Ann Skalsky Baker

Josephine Ann Skalsky Baker, 75, died Tuesday, March 26, 2013 in Amarillo.Vigil service will be at 7:00 PM Monday, April 1, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Groom. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, April 2, at the church with Rev. Arockia Raj Samala, pastor, and Rev. Mieczyslaw Przepiora, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church of White Deer, officiating. Graveside services will be at 3:00 PM Tuesday at Memorial Park Cemetery in Dalhart with Deacon Ron Hein of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church of Dalhart, officiating. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors of Pampa.Mrs. Baker was born Aug. 28, 1937 in Hartley where she attended schools and graduated from Hartley High School. She married Jesse Baker on Jan. 12, 1957 in Dalhart. She moved to Lubbock while her husband attended Texas Tech; she later moved back to the Texas Panhandle where she has lived ever since. JoAnn was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Groom. She last worked for the Groom News and previously as a bookkeeper for Tarpley Music in Pampa. JoAnn liked to crochet, crafts, loved to read and was a great sports fan. Survivors include three daughters, Karen Story and husband Ed, Jackie Whitehead and husband Phillip, all of White Deer, and Donna Pyle and husband Doug of Amarillo; two sons, Brian Baker of Amarillo and Craig Baker of Groom; two brothers, Benny Skalsky of Lubbock and Mike Skalsky and wife Ingrid of Ecuador; four sisters, Dorothy Lummus and husband Jim of Pampa, Mary Ritchie of Wichita, KS, Linda Culmer and husband Tom of Devils Lake, ND, and Irene Ellis of Tennessee; seven grandchildren, Jerimey Howard and wife Suzzette of Pampa, Grady Story and wife Megan of Panhandle, Ryan Connell of Austin, Jeff Story, Jacob Pyle and Taylor Whitehead, all of Amarillo, and Nathan Story of White Deer; and by seven great grandchildren, Gracie, Payton, Sadie, Jonathan, Serena, Caleb, and Phoenix. JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jesse Baker, two sons, Jesse Keith Baker and Walter Douglas Baker; a brother, Tim Skalsky; and a sister, Shirley Haley.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christian Mothers of Immaculate Heart of Mary, 411 Ware Ave., Groom, TX 79039 or School Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, c/o St. Theresa?s Catholic Church, Panhandle, TX 79068.