Bernardina “Bernie” Murphy Baker peacefully entered eternal rest surrounded by her daughters on December 30, 2025. The youngest of four children born to Matt and Annie Cronin Murphy, Bernie began her life in Goldfield, Nevada, on January 5, 1928. She spent most of her life in Carson City, graduating from Carson High School in 1945.
Bernie attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where she met John R. Baker, who was working as a houseboy at her Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house. They married in December of 1947 and had 63 years together before John’s death in 2011. Bernie worked for the Secretary of State before her marriage, and afterwards spent her time helping John build their business, Baker Electric, while raising their five daughters. Her dedication was always to her family and her faith.
Our mother was different for each of us, mirroring our unique personalities and supporting our interests. She suffered no fools but would laugh easily at herself and with others. She modeled a consistent moral character, raising five strong, independent women using high expectations, a stroke of discipline and a lot of worry. She had to know that we were all okay even in her last weeks of life.
Bernie is survived by her daughters: Charlene Dambacher (Gary), Joan Gardner, Mary Mattingly, Diane Baker-Roberts (Terry), and Peggy Hoogs (Steve), and twelve grandchildren: Meghan, Meredy and McKenzie Dambacher; Amity, Abbey, and Murphy Gardner; Molly, Carly, Alex and Lauren Mattingly; and Hannah and Lauren Hoogs. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Bernie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; her siblings Margaret Walker, Helen Baker and Dan Murphy; and her son-in-law Grant Gardner. Bernie’s sisters were her closest friends, sharing everything life offered, and now they will be reunited at last. She will be forever in the hearts of her family and all who knew her.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held in the chapel at St. Teresa’s Church, 3000 Lompa Lane, Carson City, Nevada on Friday, January 16, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to St. Mary’s of the Mountains Catholic Church https://catholicreno.org/one-church or St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral https://stacathedral.com/.
