Bess Lubovich Baker

Bess Lubovich Baker age 94 of Brainerd died on Sunday, April 24, 2016 at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd. She was born in Ironton on October 23, 1921 to Serbian immigrant parents, Mike and Pera (Valdetich) Lubovich and was the last surviving of their seven children. She graduated from the Crosby-Ironton High School in 1939. In the years following, she lived in several cities working various jobs, including a domestic in Minneapolis, in the Chicago offices of Johnson Brothers, and as a bookkeeper for the U.S. government at the Smyrna Army Base in Nashville. In 1954 she met the love of her life, Reno Baker, in Atlanta. They were married a year later on February 11, 1955. For three years of their marriage they lived in Wildflecken, Germany and were stationed in the Army Infantry Base. After returning to the U.S., they settled in Atlanta, where Bess worked as a bookkeeper for a brokerage firm. In 1980, Bess and Reno returned to Minnesota and made Brainerd their home. Most recently she worked as an apartment manager at her apartment complex and was a member of the Serbian Sisters-Lika, Ironton. Bess is survived by her beloved nephews, nieces and Lubovich cousins; in addition to many great and great-great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Reno; five brothers, Danny, George "Razz", Joe, Mike and Andy; and one sister, Mayme. Funeral services will be held 1:00 pm on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby. Burial will be at the Lakewood Cemetery in Crosby. Zbogom! Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the services at the funeral home. Arrangements are with the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby.