Mary Elizabeth Wallace Baker (Beth), 97 years old, of San Diego, California, received her heart's desire on January 11, 2026 when she went Home to Jesus. Her son, Jim, and daughter-in-law, Paula were at her side when she died. Beth was born on June 16, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri to John and Faith Wallace, the second oldest of 8 children. When she was 7 years old, her family moved to California for the health of 3 of their children, first settling in Crescent City, then Ocean Beach, and then in 1940, in Lincoln Acres.

Beth attended Sweetwater High School and then graduated from San Diego State with a teaching degree. Beth taught primarily 2nd grade in the National City School District for close to 40 years. On June 27, 1959, Beth married William Piper Baker (Bill) in Lincoln Acres. They had two children, Sarah and Jim.

Beth loved reading, homemade bread, babies, and roses. Some of her favorite stories revolved around her time spent at Wycliffe's Linguistics Summer Institute and its Jungle Camp in Mexico. She taught children's Sunday school into her 90's, studying diligently before each lesson, no matter how many times she had told the Bible stories. Beth and Bill were very generous to family, friends, and missions. She was a faithful caregiver for her sister, Esther, her mother, and Bill. Beth had an independent spirit but was also an introvert who loved nothing better than curling up reading everything from newspapers to the Bible (many times over).

She will be missed greatly by her brother, Nathan Wallace (Ruth), and sister, Lois Svalya (Phil), her daughter, Sarah Hovley (Erich), her son, Jim (Paula), her grandchildren: Will, Ian (Sarah), Emma, Mary, Paul, and her great-grandchildren, Sophia and James. She is preceded in death by Bill, her parents, and her siblings, Jack, Philip, Henry, Esther, and Hope.

Her funeral will be Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 1 p.m., Poway-Bernardo Mortuary. Interment will be at Greenwood Memorial Park on Monday, January 26, 2026 at 9 a.m.