Obituary of Eileen Baker Kraft

Eileen Baker Kraft Eileen Kraft of Olympia, Washington died peacefully September 8, 2009 while in hospice at Garden Courte Dementia Care. She was born in Somerville, TX, Oct 19, 1928 to Nathan and Eleanor Baker, and spent most of her childhood in Bryan, TX. Eileen is survived by her three children, Gene Kraft and his wife, Karin, Jon Kraft and Jill Kraft; three grandchildren, Fritz Kraft, Karl Kraft, and Mary Mattea Kraft; three siblings, Eleanor Salinger and her husband, David, of Florida, James Baker and his wife, Char, of Washington, and Myrl Sims and her husband, Ed, of Texas. Eileen attended grade school and high school in Bryan, Texas. She graduated with a B.S. in Art Education at Sam Houston State Teachers College, Huntsville, TX in 1949. Eileen next studied art in Pasadena, CA then worked as a United Airlines stewardess where she met her husband, Glen Kraft. They were married Dec 31, 1955. Glen was transferred several times with his job. Eileen raised three children, while living in Marietta, OH, South Charleston, WV and Redding, CT. Eileen became an accomplished seamstress when she was young sewing her own clothing as well as that of her children. She played piano, sang in the Methodist choir and volunteered at local hospitals. Eileen enjoyed oil painting, reading, shell hunting on the Gulf Coast and travelling. She particularly enjoyed exploring local back roads and out of the way places, taking the kids on adventures in her red 1963 VW Beetle. Eileen collected hand blown glassware, sharks’ teeth, shells and anything related to cows. After their divorce, Eileen returned to Bryan, TX to be close to her birth family. She learned to throw pottery and created a collection of colorful mugs, bowls and plates that are used and admired daily by her remaining family. After suffering a stroke, Eileen moved to Olympia in August 2007. Eileen’s family would like to thank the staff at Garden Courte for the loving care they provided Eileen during the last two years of her life. They are an exceptional group of people who always treated Eileen as one of their closest family members. Eileen suffered from manic depression, a mental health disorder that affects over 14 million adults in the U.S. She died due to complications from a stroke. In lieu of flowers or other gifts please make donations to Mental Health America 2000 N. Beauregard Street, 6th Floor Alexandria, VA 22311 Phone (703) 684-7722 OR GO TO: mentalhealthamerica.net/go/programs