Esther (Krolikowski) Baker

     Esther Baker, 97 of Loup City, NE died Saturday, November 28, 2020 at Rose Lane Home in Loup City. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church in Loup City. Father Richard Piontkowski will be celebrating the Mass. Burial will follow at the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 1 at St. Josaphat’s with a Rosary to held at 7:00 p.m. at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Paplin Church Building Fund or donor’s choice. Masks are required and all social distancing guidelines will be followed. The Rosary and Mass will be livestreamed on the Higgins Funeral Home Facebook page.

     There is another angel among us.  Esther Baker age 97 passed away on November 28, 2020 from natural causes at Rose Lane Care Home.  Esther was born May 25, 1923 to Martin and Agnes (Tyma) Krolikowski.  She was raised on the farm north of Ashton with her siblings Alozy, Ignatz, Victor, Gertrude (Waskowiak), Vernie (Lubash), Lucille (Garwryk) and Theresa (Woltman).

     As a young girl Esther’s favorite chore was herding the cattle where she could watch them graze and still work on her embroidery stitching making dish towels.  When she was older she went to work for the Whitehead’s and Hanisch’s near Rockville, caring for the young children and helping in the home.

     Esther married Leo Baker on November 25, 1941.  Together they made their home on the farm just a few miles north of Ashton.  They milked cows, raised cattle, hogs and lots of chickens, selling jajkas (eggs).

     Esther and Leo had 5 children, Eldon who passed in 2010, Sharon stillborn, Elaine married to Paul Kusek, Ervin stillborn and LeRoy married to Kris (Kaslon). 

     After Leo’s passing in 1969, Esther continued to farm with Eldon, home from military service.  With LeRoy yet in grade school and always seeking a way to make ends meet, Esther joined up with a carpool of local ladies and began working at Delicious Foods in Grand Island.  Esther’s favorite job was chipping onions; she continued working there for over 20 years.

     Esther enjoyed visiting her children and their families and would often show up for a visit; the old Chevy pickup was on the go.  She was not one to sit idle, even parked she would pick up the embroidery project that lay on the seat next to her taking advantage of the “good light” at the moment.  She stitched numerous dish towels and quilt blocks through the years.  Esther also enjoyed Bingo nights and church bazaars across the area.  She had a natural green thumb in the garden as well.  Her garden was never small and neither was the produce; some favorite things to grow was cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon and pumpkins.

     She enjoyed visiting with people, some of her routine check points were with the Skagway Coffee Club, the Skyline Truck Stop, the Snack Shop Bakery.  Esther never knew a stranger; by the end of a conversation she would have the connection made and know “who you belonged to”. 

     Esther is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, LeRoy and Kris Baker and daughter and son-in-law, Elaine and Paul Kusek all of Loup City and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Esther (Krolikowski) Baker, please visit our floral store.