Alfreda J. Baker

Alfreda J. Baker, 90, of Grand Island passed away Saturday, August 18, 2018, at Brookefield Park nursing home in St. Paul, NE. Funeral service will be 10:30 AM Saturday, August 25, 2018, at First Presbyterian Church in Grand Island with Pastor Gary Smith officiating. Entombment will follow at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service on Saturday. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to First Presbyterian Church. Online condolences may be directed to www.apfelfuneralhome.com.

Alfreda was born January 19, 1928, at Ericson, NE, the daughter of Stanley and Hilma (Bogseth) Baker. She graduated from Ericson High School in 1945. Having had Normal Training, she was able to begin her teaching career the following year at the Cedar Valley School in Greeley County. She studied one year at Midland College in Fremont, and then continued her education during the summers at Fremont as well as the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. She achieved her bachelor’s degree in 1956 at UNL. Alfreda taught at Gordon, Plattsmouth, and last at Dodge Elementary School in Grand Island where she completed her 41 years of teaching.

Many of Alfreda’s weekends and summers were spent at her cabin at Lake Ericson working on cabin improvements and socializing. She was a member of the Garden Club where she helped others beautify the lake area. Her friends Bonnie and Scud helped with many activities. Husker football was number one on those football Saturdays, and she had season tickets for over forty years. She was an avid fan and even attended some bowl games. Golfing was a highlight during her career, and she had a hole-in-one on the Riverside Golf Course. It was also here where she played cards with many of her friends.

Alfreda was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Grand Island. She sang in the choir, served as a Deacon, and just never missed a Sunday until her health started to fail.

Survivors include sister: Janice Bollish of North Platte; brother-in-law: Ervin Gruntorad of San Diego, CA; nephews: Robert Jacobs of CA, Randy (Cindy) Bollish of Wellfleet, NE, Kurt (Katie) Bollish of Omaha, NE; nieces: DiAnna Scoggins, Paula Jacobs, Lori (Tony) Corder, Tara (George) Evers, Susan (Jeff) Balch all of CA, Cynthia Jacobs-Spencer (Pat) of Kapolei, HI, Karla (Richard) Sitzman of Dunbar, NE, Karen (Kevin) Mueller of Imperial, NE, and Kristi (Reid) Hagstrom of Ord, NE; grand nieces and grand nephews; and many friends and relatives. She cherished the days when she could visit family in California, as well as her relatives here in Nebraska.

Alfreda was preceded in death by her parents, sisters: Beverly Jacobs, Lois Gruntorad; brother-in-law: Alvin Bollish; grand nephews: Robert Jacobs, Jr. and Jacob Wilson.