Kathleen Reeder Baker (Kathy)

Kathy was born December 10, 1949 to Charles H. and Ruth Reeder in Tulsa, OK and left her earthly confines on August 5, 2025. She attended parochial schools in Tulsa graduating from Bishop Kelley in 1967. While in high school, her mother passed away and Kathy stepped in to help raise her little brother. She then attended the University of Tulsa following high school graduation majoring in journalism.

When working as the PR coordinator at Red Cross, she met her first husband, Walt Callahan to whom she was married from 1970 until his passing in 1992. Kathy held a wide variety of jobs during her lifetime. She was an exceptional writer and landed a position at the now defunct Tulsa Tribune. Since the Tribune sponsored the annual Oklahoma State Spelling Bee, Kathy acted as the guide and chaperone for the Oklahoma state spelling bee champion and family who attended the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC. While at the Tribune, she had the opportunity to interview amazing and influential people, including an interview with Lady Bird Johnson in the 1970s. When the Tribune ceased publishing, Kathy joined Riverparks Authority and was an integral part in building the early Oktoberfest annual festival. Eventually Oktoberfest hired her as their festival director where she oversaw the explosion of the festival's growth.

After being widowed, Kathy married David Baker in 1995 after reconnecting with him from their days volunteering at Red Cross during high school. When she left Oktoberfest, both Kathy and David began work at Garbe's Lighting. At Garbe's she managed their website and online sales. Kathy and David retired from Garbe's and enjoyed traveling to various parts of the county especially sampling local cuisine and brews. She was widowed again in 2022 with David's passing.

Kathy was an exceptional cook and it was her love language, cooking meals or sweets for friends, neighbors and family for all holidays, birthdays or just because. She was also the neighborhood "crazy cat lady" capturing and spaying or neutering any feral cat who decided to live in her backyard. She was a natural caretaker, loved traveling, baseball, football (go KC!), and NASCAR racing.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Perry "Butch" Reeder and Bill Reeder, and both husbands Walt Callahan and David Baker. She is survived by her bonus daughters Lori Baker Iorns and Kristi Baker Crenshaw, grandchildren Lily, Maggie and Aiden Iorns, Teren and Clio Crenshaw, brother Ed Reeder and wife Sharon of Oregon, sister Suzy Sittel and husband Wade of Tulsa and multiple nieces and nephews. She asked for no service rather a Celebration of Life to be held at a date to yet be determined. In lieu of flowers please consider donations to StreetCats Inc.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.