LACONIA --- Brenda Rose Baer (nee Hartley) died on Monday, November 4, 2024, after a full 98 years. While she was ready to leave this earth, she is disappointed to miss Election Day and the failure of the Yankees to win the World Series. Brenda and Bob moved to the Lakes Region in the late 1950’s to work and build Belknap Recreation Area and the Gypsy Tour (Now Motorcycle Week). Laconia became her city.
This obituary was written (and edited) by Brenda over the years – she always was prepared.
Brenda Baer, former City Councilor for 12 years, passed away at the age of 98. Until very recently, Brenda was living on her own and keeping house.
Brenda was born in Springfield, MA, on August 8, 1926, the daughter of Atty. Raphael Hartley and Lorraine (Frenier) Hartley. She was one of 13 siblings growing up during the Great Depression and WWII. She always believed that these times were what made her strong and a survivor.
She married Robert Baer and had four children: Robert, Ellen (Dee), Brenda Lee and John. Times were not always easy and she worked at many jobs, sometimes holding down two jobs at a time to help provide for her family. They were her true life’s work. On one occasion she was asked to list all her jobs – they totaled 25, including waitressing, baking for a restaurant, paralegal for an attorney, department head at Lakes Region Hospital for 10 years, secretary at Indian Motorcycle Company, telephone operator, medical transcriber for two hospitals and several doctors, and many other jobs, with her last job being the one she loved the most, that of Laconia City Councilor. She loved her city and never stopped looking after it.
Following the death of her husband in 1993, Brenda sold the family home and moved into Briarcrest Estates where she remained until her death. There she found new friends and relationships that helped her move on to new horizon. She worked on many activities in this community and began a new challenge. Politics.
She first began by typing Letters to the Editor to express her thoughts on local affairs. Soon she learned the ways of the computer and thus began a new venture. She and partner Dorothy Duffy started a newspaper column, “Sensible Seniors” which was published in both the Daily Sun and the Citizen. This lasted successfully for two years. At this point, Brenda won election to Laconia City Council and felt it would not be fair to impose some of her thoughts in the column, yet she felt the need to express them publicly, so she gave up the column and went back to writing Letters to the Editor.
Brenda served six terms (12 years) until the age of 91. She loved her service to the City and served it well, often the only dissenting voice on issues, but Brenda stood firmly behind her beliefs and often wrote letters explaining some of the matters being debated in the Council. She also wrote many letters on the importance of citizen involvement in their city and the importance of the vote.
Brenda loved cooking, old movies and particularly sports of all kinds. She was an avid golfer for many years until her mid 80’s and followed the PGA on TV. She loved the Yankees passionately, almost as much as she loved Larry Bird, Phil Mickelson, Arnie Palmer, Drew Bledsoe and Bobby Orr. Her entire family were Red Sox and Patriot fans, but as usual Brenda stood alone on that front.
Brenda is survived by her son Robert Baer (Paula), daughter Ellen (Dee) Baer (William Farneth), daughter Brenda Korach (Kenneth), son John Baer (Cheryl), and grandchildren Aaron Baer, Kimberlee Colip, Steven Farneth, Molly Farneth, Max Korach, Samuel Korach, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. They are the reason for her being and what made her life so worthwhile.
Contributions in Brenda’s memory may be made to the charity of your choice.
There will be no calling hours.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 11:30 am at Governor’s Island Club House (500 Edgewater Dr., Gilford). Lunch following.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.