Mrs. Claris Maud Whyte Baker, 91, of Port Charlotte, Florida, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 2, 2010 at the Peace River Regional Medical Center in Port Charlotte.

She was born January 4, 1919 in Cuba, to the late Rufus and Joanna Lawrence. Claris, who first immigrated to Kingston, Jamaica West Indies in the 1940’s, worked as a hair stylist until then immigrating to the United States in 1958. She worked as a Nursing Assistant until poor health forced her retirement in 1970. She moved to Port Charlotte in 1982 from Brooklyn, New York with her husband George Whyte Baker. She was a devoted parishioner of St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in Port Charlotte who became active in fund raising for St. Maximilian parish.

She leaves to cherish her, her husband George W. Baker; children, Carlene McKenzie-Jones, Jennifer John, and Michael Baker; brother Carl Lawrence; grandchildren, Alfanso, Joann, Venolda, Lloyd Jr., Noel Jr., Christopher, Venus, Brittany, Cynthia, Michael, and Bobby; and a host of great grandchildren. Claris was preceded in death by her beloved children, Alfanso Hyde and Dawn Wallace.