SARANNE BAKER, 76, of Decatur, Nebraska, passed away Sunday, March 6, 2011, at the Columbus Community Hospital, Columbus, Nebraska, after a short fight against cancer. 

She was born December 24, 1934, the youngest of 7 children, born to John A. and Jennie “Doll” (Walker) Beard.  She was raised on the family farm south of Decatur.  Sara attended school in the Decatur area, graduating from Decatur High School in 1952.  She attended Wayne State and Dana College before graduating from Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Nebraska, in 1974 with a Bachelor of Education degree. 
                                      
Sara was united in marriage to Robert E. Baker on May 21, 1955 in Neligh, Nebraska.  Bob and Sara lived their entire lives in Decatur where they raised their three sons, Brad, Jeff and Rod. 

Sara taught school for 47 years in the Decatur area.   Before embarking on her 30+ years as the second grade teacher in the Decatur (and later Northeast) School system, she taught at the Divide Center, Deman, Bacon and 6R Country Schools.  Sara retired from teaching in 1999. 

Sara was an active member of the Decatur community.  She was a member and held office in the Eastern Star Lodge No. 145 and was a member of the United Methodist Church.  Sara was also an active member of the Decatur Community Club, where she and husband, Bob, helped sponsor the Decatur Riverfront Days Breakfast for over 25 years.  She was involved in the Decatur Museum and the Decatur Alumni Association.  Sara was a devoted and proud Big Red fan. 

She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Charles “Rusty”; brother-in-laws, Howard Lewis and William Witthuhn; sister-in-law, Dona Beard and her beloved husband, Robert. 

Survivors include her sons, Brad and wife, Mary, of Columbus, NE;  Jeff and partner, Allen Swim, of San Francisco, CA; Rod of Columbus; three grandchildren, Jennie Jo and husband, Jim, of Lincoln, NE,  Bryan of Lincoln,  Brett Michael of Columbus; sisters, Beulah Lewis of Sioux City, IA, Betty Witthuhn of Loveland, CO,  Doris Worley and husband, Don, of Decatur; brothers, Johnny Beard and wife, Mary, of Tekamah, NE and Lewis Beard of Columbus. 

Saranne was a loyal and devoted mother, grandmother, neighbor, friend, honored teacher and proud lifelong member of the Decatur community and will be deeply missed by everyone she touched. 

FUNERAL SERVICE: Friday, March 11, 2011, 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Decatur.

VISITATION: Thursday, March 10, 2011, 1 - 8 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6 - 8 p.m. and a 7:00 p.m. PRAYER SERVICE all at Pelan Funeral Home in Tekamah. Visitation Friday will be held at the church one hour prior to the service.

BURIAL: Hillcrest Cemetery, Decatur.

MEMORIALS:  Decatur Museum and Decatur United Methodist Church.