Gena Lou Dissmore Baker

It is with sadness in our hearts and gratitude for all she gave, that we share thepassing of Gena Lou Dissmore Baker, our mom, our sister, our grandma, ourfriend, our everything. Gena was called home to be with her Lord and Savior onNovember 30, 2023.Gena was born on April 21, 1936, in Wenatchee, WA to Eugene and LulaDissmore. She grew up in Entiat, a small town on the Columbia River. Many of herrelatives lived just up the Entiat Valley, so she had a childhood filled with family aswell as friends. As a young girl, she wanted nothing more than a little sister, andthat wish was granted when she was eight years old. Luella Rose Dissmore wasborn May 31, 1944. Gena had the great privilege of picking her middle name,Rose, which she has gone by her entire life.Gena's younger years were spent with her little sister, working at her dad'sgarage, helping her mom in the garden, and outside on the trapeze that her dadhad built.She graduated from Entiat High School as valedictorian in 1954. The school wasacross the street from the family home, so the school kids all knew Gena and herfamily well. Gena's Mom ran the school store and provided hot lunches for all ofthe students attending the small Entiat school.That next fall she began nurses training at Deaconess Hospital School ofNursing. She graduated with her Registered Nurse Diploma as well as herAssociate of Arts Degree, in 1957.Later that year, she married Stan Baker, and they moved to Vancouver, B.C whereshe worked as Staff RN at Vancouver General Hospital. Gena and Stan welcomedtheir first daughter, Colleen Sheryl Baker in October 1958.After relocating to Wenatchee, WA, Gena worked at Central WashingtonDeaconess Hospital, as the Charge RN. This was not only the same hospital shehad trained at, it was also where her second daughter, Cindy Lou Baker, was bornin February 1960.Two years later, the family moved to Renton, WA, where Gena was Charge RN atRenton Valley General Hospital. Finally, in 1965, they settled in Ellensburg, WA,which became Gena's longtime home.Gena went on to get her BA degree at Central Washington University, in HealthEducation. She graduated in 1971, and taught Health Education at Ellensburg High School for two years. Gena also was the Paramedic Program Instructor at CWU for23 years.Gena's nursing career spanned 50 years, including being the Office Nurse atTaylor Richardson Clinic and Director of Nursing Services at Gold LeafConvalescent Center. In 1975 she began working at Kittitas Valley Hospital. Whileat KVH, she worked in several departments, and had many titles. Medical/SurgicalDepartment RN, Disaster Coordinator, American Heart Association CPR Instructor,Emergency Department RN, Critical Care/Intensive Care Department RN, PostAnesthesia Recovery Director, Staff Development Education Director, HouseSupervisor, Employee Health Nurse, and Infection Control RN. After retiring fromKVH in 2003, she became the School Nurse for the Kittitas School District for thenext three years.Throughout her many years as a nurse, she touched multiple lives. Her comfortand genuine empathy gave those she cared for something to hold on to. We'veheard from so many who have shared what she meant to them, and her positiveinfluence on their lives.Gena poured her heart into her family and was a stellar example to all. She was anurturer and guided her family, instilling in them the values of kindness,compassion, listening, loving without judgment and a deep faith in the Lord.Gena's greatest joy in life was being in the company of her loved ones. Her legacylives on through the love and strength that she passed on to her family.Travel was an important part of Gena's life, especially in later years. Her first flightwas to Hawaii in 1977, and thereafter, the world was her oyster. She cruised theCaribbean, the Panama Canal, the Saint Lawrence Seaway, the MediterraneanSea, the Rhine River, and to Alaska. She explored Jordan and Israel, visiting manyholy places she had read about in the bible. She visited relatives in England, takingin London and the countryside around it. She met up with Greta, our 1977Exchange Student friend, in Belgium. She marveled over Venice, Athens,Amsterdam, Paris and Rome. She loved the travel experience; each tripaccompanied by good friends or family. We're grateful that she had theopportunity.Gena was raised as a non-denominational Christian, and fully embraced it. Sheprofessed at 11 years of age, and never looked back. She was devoted, her faithnever wavered; she was sincere. She was a true servant of God and she servedthe Lord with gladness. This was evident in her life, as so many people were drawn to her pure and gentle spirit. She had a presence that radiated her love ofGod and spoke to those she had just met.Gena is preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Lula Dissmore. She issurvived by her two daughters, Colleen Baker and Cindy Easley, sister, RoseDissmore Hawkins, six grandchildren, Sarah, Nicole, Jennifer, Brandon, Blake, andBlair as well as 10 great grandchildren.We will forever carry her memory in our hearts.A memorial service to celebrate Gena's life will be held on Saturday, December16 th at 3pm at Evergreen Memorial Garden, Vancouver, WA with a reception tofollow in the President's Room at the Inn at University Village. The family kindlyrequests that any charitable donations be made to Kittitas County Fire & Rescue.

Gena Lou Dissmore Baker

April 21, 1936 - November 30, 2023