Mary Olive Baker

Mary Olive Baker, 91, of Punxsutawney, passed away October 21, 2020, at McKinley Healthcare in Brookville.

Mary Olive was born February 21, 1929 in Punxsutawney; the middle child of Brooke and Emma Burkett Shaffer. Her older sister, Arlene Divens and younger brother Bill Shaffer, preceded her in death.

She married Ken Baker October of 1951, he passed away, April of 1982.

Mary Olive started to work at Speer Carbon in 1947, she retired in 1992. During her employment the company estimated she had packed, by hand, approximately 2 billion pieces of carbon. That estimate was done in 1981, she continued to pack carbon for an additional 11 years.

Following her retirement, she along with her companion and best friend, Jim Sprankle, traveled to Alaska, Australia, New Zealand and parts of the United States, those trips were among the greatest joys of her life.

Mary Olive is survived by son James Cole and wife Marcia, Pittsburgh, daughter Nancy Freeberg and husband Charles, Blossburg; grandchildren, Troy Straitiff, Punxsutawney, Rebecca Cole and husband Peter Jhon, Pittsburgh, and Sara Cole and husband Andre’ Brito, San Francisco. Great-grandchildren, Claire Straitiff, Isaac Straitiff, Arron Straitiff, Katherine Freeze, James Jhon, Rosemary Jhon, Isabella Brito and Sebastian Brito.

In addition to her parents, siblings and husband, she was predeceased by infant son, Gardner, and companion Jim Sprankle.

Private funeral services were held from the Freeberg Funeral Home, Blossburg with Pastor William Baker officiating. Mary Olive was interred next to her husband at Lakelawn Memorial Park, Reynoldsville.

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