Paula Baker, 68, of Dubuque, passed away unexpectedly with her family at her bedside, on June 6, 2025 following a brief illness.

Visitation will be from 3:00-7:00p.m., Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at the Egelhof, Siegert and Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 JFK Road, Dubuque. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30a.m., Thursday, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Burial will be at a later date in Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Paula was born on March 23, 1957 to Jerome “Whitey” and Pauline (Frye) Henkel in Dubuque, IA. She received her education at St. Patrick’s Catholic School and Wahlert High School in Dubuque. She worked at Alliant Energy for over thirty years until retiring in 2021. She was an active and proud member of IBEW Local 204 for many years serving as Union Steward and member of the negotiating committee. She was also a member of the Dubuque Moose Lodge #355. Paula recently started attending and was finding solace in bible study.

In her free time, she prioritized her children and grandchildren. She also loved boating on the river – a love inherited from her dad, a well-known Mississippi River Barge Captain. She enjoyed walking and biking by the river, volunteering, and her beloved pets. She enjoyed an occasional trip to the casino to gamble. Paula was a true social butterfly who cherished any time spent with family and friends.

Those left behind to cherish her memory are her three beloved children, Courtney (Jeff) Heinz, Shay (Phillip) Seeberger, and Jacob “Jake” Baker. Also surviving are her 4 grandchildren, Emily Lehman, Bella Heinz, and Cody and Clay Seeberger, her sister, Beth (Allen) Wagner, brother-in-law Robert Dague, multiple nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, her cat Millie, and her grand-pets Simba, Boscoe, and Tito.

Paula was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Barbara (Henkel) Dague and Terrance Henkel. She is also preceded in death by her beloved dogs Zoey, Layla, Happy, and Sadie.

The family wishes to extend their thanks to the many friends of Paula and her children who have provided love and support through this very sudden and tragic time.

A Paula Baker Memorial Fund has been established.