Caroline Baker

CAROLINE MAY BAKER, made her transition peacefully as she slept during her short Hospice at Austin Oasis Nursing and Rehab in Chicago, IL on Friday morning March 1, 2019 at approximately 6:30am. She was a homemaker and widow of Mr. Steve Cheng, her common-law ‘husband’ of some 30 years. Mr. Cheng was born in Beijing and was an Administrative retiree of the University of Illinois where he was known as a ‘Bingo’ Champion. 

CAROLINE studied piano as a child, loved animals - especially cats - and was an avid reader. In her final months, it was not unusual for Caroline to suddenly break-into-song or talk for hours about facts she had read about a famous American entertainer or even about nutrition or medical facts. With only a high school education, Caroline’s vocabulary and command of facts was impressive. She credited her mother who nurtured her love of reading. Caroline said, “we read to one another all the time.”

CAROLINE is survived by two daughters, Denise Carolyn Du’Maine, her first born and Brenda Joyce Crawford. Caroline also bore two sons, Marlon Crawford and David. 

CAROLINE was the only child born to William Bishop, a mechanic who worked for 25 years at the The Illinois Steel Co. in Joliet, and May (Sessions) Bishop, a homemaker from Aurora. 

CAROLINE had five siblings, born in Kent, England who emigrated to America with her Father’s first wife; Constance, Bernard, Irene, William H. and WWII Airforce Lieutenant Robert “Bobby” Bishop, who was killed when his plane was shot down over Hanover, Germany. 

CAROLINE is also survived by 4 Grandchildren, Shatara Tatiana Crawford, Susan Crawford, Aristotle Nicholas Crawford and Maxwell Crawford and a host of nieces and nephews from Rockford, Illinois too numerous to mention. 

Stoic, frugal, and pragmatic - sometimes to a fault - Caroline was against a funeral or burial and therefore her remains will be cremated. 

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