Mary Baker

Mary lived a full, eventful life, full of love and dedication to her family, friends and community. She was born on Sept. 7, 1958, to Harold and Wilma Quesnel, a ray of light in the world that is much different than that of today. Like Mary, the microchip and NASA also met the beginning of their lives that year. Like the microchip changing the world we live in today, Mary, too, changed the world she lived in and every life she had touched.

She leaves behind her loving husband Michael Baker, who took care of her through the very end, being by her side in the roughest of times; her kids: Jeremy and his wife Carolyn Nadeau, Shawn Nadeau, and Afton Nadeau and her partner Eddie Frenette, who gave her some of the most precious gifts that she held most dear, her grandkids! Chase Nadeau, Reanna Nadeau, Shane Jessie, Sophie Nadeau, Gabby and Lucy Frenette, Ava and Mekenna Nadeau. She also leaves behind a brother and two sisters: Alan Quesnel, Sandra Page and Lori Ann Stump.

Family was at Mary’s core foundation of her life; everything and anything she did was because of her commitment to family. Once married to Bernard Nadeau, she traveled the world as an Air Force spouse. Raising her kids the best she could in such a challenging environment wasn’t always the easiest. The two split up after a time, and Mary moved back to Tupper Lake. She worked several jobs to take care of her three kids and was also going back to school at North Country Community College to earn her associate’s. When she got to the point of being able to retire, she continued her selfless work in the community cleaning the local synagogue and lending a hand to friends in need, whether it be cleaning hotel rooms or helping someone who just was having a hard time. Yet her greatest joy was taking care of her grandkids. Whenever and whatever her grandkids needed from her, she was there to pick up the pieces and try and get their lives back on track, push them in the right direction or give them the support she felt they needed. Like all people who do good things in this world, too often those lives are cut short, and Mary was no different and lost her fight and passed in the evening of May 17.

Often said by many, “Mary would give you her last dollar if you needed it even if she needed it.” If you didn’t know her, this says all you need to know. The list could go on and on of the people she’s helped and lives she touched, but this would go from an obituary to a book. She is a woman who has poured so much light in the world with her laugh, smile and charisma. The world is just a bit darker now with her loss and could use more rays of sunshine like her. Everyone who knew her will now have a piece of their heart taken from them, but remember that is not how she would have wanted you to feel. Remember her in the happy light she left in your lives. “She was a wife, a mother, a grandma, too; this is the legacy we have from you.” We love you, dear Mom, sister and friend, and you will be with us always, no matter which title people use for you.

For those who knew her in life and would like to attend, her services are being overseen by the Frary Funeral Home of Tupper Lake with a viewing being held on Tuesday the 23rd of May between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m.