Sadly, pre-school teacher Keli Baker of Napoleon, Ohio, has succumbed to Covid-19. She passed away on Feb. 16, 2021. Photo credit: Napoleon Elementary School.

Sadly, the life of yet another beloved educator has been claimed by Covid-19. Keli Renee Baker, a pre-school teacher fro Napoleon, Ohio, succumbed to the disease on February 16, 2021. She was just 36 years old.

Keli was born on August 5, 1984, in Napoleon. As a young woman, she attended Napoleon High School, where she received her diploma in 2003. After high school, she enrolled at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development in 2008. At the time of her passing, she was working on a credential as an Intervention Specialist.

After earning her degree, Keli worked at Head Start, Defiance. After a couple of years, she accepted a position as a pre-school teacher at Napoleon Elementary School District. In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Keli served as the fifth-grade volleyball coach and as the President of the Parent Teacher Organization. She also coached recreational and travel volleyball and softball teams in her community.

This hardworking teacher was also the mother of two daughters. She encouraged her daughters to engage in many physical activities, including gymnastics, basketball, swim, dance, 4H, and civic theater. She was also an avid supporter of the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns.

Keli passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 16, 2021, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee, Ohio. The educator will be greatly missed throughout her school community. “She was always supportive of all things Napoleon and especially all of the Napoleon students,” expressed Superintendent Erik Belcher. “The impact Mrs. Baker has had on our Napoleon community is wide reaching and will be remembered by all.”

To read more about Kelli, click on this link to her obituary published by Rodenberger-Gray Funeral Home.