Grace Irene Myers Baker (Amazing Grace) as friends and family lovingly called her, passed away at 9:18 am, Sunday, November 2, 2025, at Wesley Village, Macomb, IL. Grace was born January 29, 1921 in Bushnell, IL to Floyd and Mary (Bower) Myers.
She was the eldest of seven children. She is survived by sisters Mary Lou Longcor, Spring, TX; Pat Lawrence, Reno, NV; sister-in-law Anita Myers, Jerome, ID; grandchildren Eric and Christina Baker, Tavares, FL; Krystal and Wes Bottorff, Keokuk, IA; great-grandchildren Boone (Wes) Hunt, Lake Orion, MI; and Kendra Hunt, Norman, OK.
Grace was preceded in death by her parents; husband, William E Baker; step-son, Linden Keith Baker; and brothers George, Donald, David, and Edward Myers.
Grace enlisted in the WAVES in 1943. She was a Seaman, 2nd Class, assigned to the Intelligence Division of the Navy in Washington, D.C. until 1946. After the war she took advantage of the GI Bill, and went to Western Illinois State College, now Western Illinois University, majoring in home economics. She was living in Macomb, and attended the Baptist Church where she met her future husband William (Bill) E. Baker. They married in 1951, and were married 42 years before his death.
Grace was so proud of her family’s service record. Her grandfather, David Myers, served in the Civil War; her father, Floyd Myers served in WWI; her mother, Mary Bower served in WWI; she and brothers Donald and George served in WWII. She was a WAVE, teacher, librarian, secretary, and would try anything that sounded like it was helpful, a challenge and fun. She always had a project or more she was currently working on. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, McDonough District Hospital Auxiliary, the McDonough County Genealogical Society, Retired Teachers, a McDonough County Election Judge, and member of the University Baptist Church.
