Linda L. Baker

WELLSBURG - Sunday Morning, December First, the greatest joy of my life, Linda Larae Baker, died. I met Linda when she was just 19 years old. She was introduced to me by the personnel manager at SEARS, Roebuck and Company in Elmira, NY. I was a young department manager and Linda was assigned to me as a part-time sales clerk. I soon learned she was much more than a bright smile, gorgeous long legs and shining blond hair. I got to know her quickly, learning that she was a single mom with two toddlers. Linda was very smart, exceptionally capable, and she soon became my right hand and trusted assistant. She was so good at her job she was quickly promoted to full-time. During those first few months, as we worked side-by-side, we both tried to ignore and then resist our feelings for each other and we didn't begin to date until nearly 3 years had passed, but from that first day I saw her, Linda was a bright light in my life. I finally convinced her to marry me in the fall of 1977, after diligently courting her for over 7 years,. (I told you she was smart.) Linda continued to work at Sears for over 40 years and she made everyone around her happier, until her official retirement in 2011. She loved her friends and co-workers and was always there for anyone who needed help. Over her long career, her flashing smile, easy laugh, and gentle nature, became familiar to hundreds of loyal customers, who came back, time and again to buy their appliances. The current sales staff tells me folks still come into the store and ask for the beautiful blond saleswoman who sold them a Washer or Refrigerator, 15 or 20 years ago. My Mother, 'Barb' and Father, 'Stub' Baker, opened the Pinecroft Golf Course in nearby, Centerville, PA in 1972. After a few years Linda and I moved there as well and we raised our two sons, Rich and Mark together as a family. All 3 generations of the Baker/Fusare Family are blessed with an extended family of thousands of people who came to our 'home' to play golf and often hung around to chat and share their lives with us. Survivors include her two sons, Richard (Trisha) Fusare and Mark (Missy) Fusare, grandchildren, Kasey and Sabrina. She was predeceased by her parents Linford and Onalee (Spencer) Lines. Over the span of her life, Linda had many health issues, including a kidney transplant 25 years ago and more recently a mitral heart valve replacement. Watching her become weaker each day for the past few years has been slow torture for both of us, but through it all, her spirit never failed and she rarely revealed the extent of her suffering to anyone. But I consider myself a very lucky man. For more than 40 years I woke up each morning knowing Linda loved me. I sometimes wondered if I deserved her passion and devotion, but eventually she taught me to accept her love without questions, and I know she felt mine in return. Over the past few months we have reflected on how wonderful our life has been. We were able to live our love everyday, In the unique way we chose, sharing each trial and triumph, laughing and crying together, with hardly a cross word ever exchanged between us. In her final moments we were together, face-to-face, she was chuckling about some foolish remark I had made. When the stroke hit her, I watched the life leave her body and knew she could see my loving smile as she passed. Now she can finally rest, and I promised Linda I would do my best to honor her memory by continuing to live with the same joie de vivre she consistently shared with everyone. I will begin today, although I feel incredibly alone at this moment. It's time to feed our two cats... the 'boys' Freddie and Tige, can already sense she is gone. It was Linda's wish that no formal viewing or Funeral service be performed. However, I plan a celebration of her life and a tribute to her courage, in the very near future. If you wish to attend, E-Mail me at JBaker35@stny.rr.com and I will send you the details. In lieu of flowers, Linda and I wish to share our love and respect for staff and patients of the Kidney Dialysis unit at Robert Packer Hospital. In that spirit, we are collecting donations to help support the many friends and family members who dedicate hours of their lives transporting and caring for the daily needs of Dialysis Patients. If you feel as we do, please send a donation to this memorial fund to: John Baker, 1155 Plymouth Avenue, Elmira, NY. 14904