Claudia Baker Obituary

Claudia (Candi) Alberta (Christiansen) Baker departed peacefully from this life on her 77th birthday on December 7, 2022, in Columbus, Nebraska. The youngest of four children, Candi was born on December 7, 1945, to Harvey Gene Christiansen and Genevieve Marie Christiansen in Napa, California. Claudia was nicknamed Candy because of her sweet demeanor. She later changed the spelling to Candi. She is preceded in death by her parents and her grandmother grandparents Claude and Betsy Wallen, and Bertha and Albert Christiansen.

Candi is survived by her husband of 54 years, Paul Baker, of Columbus, NE, and formerly of Lawrence, KS, and Burlingame, CA; her two daughters, Chanda Baker of Kansas City, MO, and Danika (Mike) Rowe, her three grandchildren, Elizabeth (Lilly) Rowe, Katherine (Katie) Rowe, Michael (M3) Rowe; her brother, Gene Christiansen (Pat), and her sisters, Kay (Daryl) Gengler and Virginia Osterholt, all of the area around Spirit Lake, Iowa; and numerous nieces and nephews, with whom she had a special relationship.

Growing up, Candi discovered she had a passion for dancing which she pursued throughout her formative years into adulthood. As a child, Candi loved listening to the radio and dancing and twirling as she dusted the furniture in their home in Sioux City, IA. If it had not been for her childhood fear of visiting the dentist, Candi's talent and passion for dance and her gift of encouragement to thousands of blossoming dancers over the years may have been lost to all her students in California and Lawrence. Her mother talked Candi into visiting the dentist by promising to pay for her dance lessons, which became a very expensive dental visit. Upon attending her first dance class at the age of 12, Candi was hooked.

After graduating from Central High School in Sioux City, Candi attended Iowa State University in Ames, IA. Despite spending most of her time in the dance studio, she graduated in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in English, with minors in math and dance. While attending Iowa State, she met the love of her life, Paul Baker. After a brief courtship, they were married on June 1, 1968, and honeymooned on their drive to southern California, where Paul had a summer job with NASA and was scheduled to enroll in Stanford in the fall. While Paul completed his MBA, Candi taught seventh-grade English, took innumerable master dance classes and studied with various inspirational San Francisco dance artists. In 1971, she graduated from Mills College in Oakland, CA, with a master's degree in dance and, after the birth of two daughters, Chanda in 1974 and Danika in 1977, Candi opened and operated a dance movement studio in Burlingame, CA, where they lived for 13 years.

Shortly after Candi's father's death, they decided to move closer to family when Paul was offered a job opportunity in Lawrence. Candi established herself at the Lawrence Arts Center by creating a dance program. She began by teaching 10 dance classes in 1984 and later becoming education director in 1985. Candi was instrumental in starting the touring modern dance company, the Prairie Wind Dancers, in 1987, with which she performed and toured in towns all over the Midwest. As the dance program director, Candi worked closely with the center's executive director and the education, theater and exhibition staff members to provide the best dance program possible. In 1998, Candi was awarded the Lawrence Phoenix Award in the Performing Arts. Candi always said, "Dance is a way of expressing dreams, ideas, and hope through the human body and emotion." Her biggest joy over the years was watching the little ones grow into wonderful dancers by the time they went on to college and beyond.

After retiring in 2013, Candi pursued her passion of creating quilts and doting on her three grandchildren. In 2020 Paul and Candi made the decision to move closer to their grandchildren in Columbus, NE, where she enjoyed doing puzzles, playing games and cards with her family, watching the grandkids' performances and sports games, and eating ice cream. Candi was always an avid reader and loved doing crossword puzzles.

In the last few years of her life, even while suffering with Lewy Body Dementia and complications related to Parkinson's disease, Candi rapidly became a favorite of her caregivers. Her sweet demeanor remained.

Cremation is scheduled with a Celebration of Life service to be held for the family and her caregivers on Tuesday, December 13, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Gass Haney Funeral Home, 2109 14th St. in Columbus, NE. An additional Celebration of Life service will also be held at the Lawrence Arts Center from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on February 25, 2023, in Lawrence, KS.

Condolences may be sent to Paul Baker, Realife, 3600 30th St. Unit 117, Columbus, NE, 68601. Memorials in Candi Baker's name may be given to the Lakeview High School Arts Organization, 3744 83rd St., Columbus, NE 68601, and the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS, 66044, in memory of Candi Baker.