‘Old age has a hard time catching up with me’

Margaret Baker is the oil for the machines she cares about around town. An explanation is due. A lot of the time, volunteers and their skills are not noticed in the public eye, but without them the organizations couldn’t operate effciently. A good accountant is always necessary and needed.

Margaret provides that to numerous organizations around town and also volunteers on the front lines for the Crisis Bread Basket, Habitat for Humanity, Chapel in the Hills, the Village Store and probably a few others. But she hasn’t been a volunteer all her life.

“Oh no, not at all,” Margaret said. She waited until she got to Wimberley. South of Houston in Alvin, Texas, the land of Nolan Ryan, was where she was born and knew Ryan as a skinny kid brother of her classmates. She graduated from Alvin High (“There was only one high school”) and proceeded to the University of Texas where she received her B.B.A. in Accounting and Business. Next a flourishing career in Houston was in the works.

“There was nothing in Austin so I moved to Houston.” Her husband worked for Arthur Anderson, a prestigious accounting firm. She herself went into private practice.

Then as a CFO and other “titled” positions in corporate Houston. “My last assignment was as business manager over Houston’s light rail. It was pure construction…(I said,) Guys be patient with me. And they were. It was so much fun. But then the job closed down (finished). It was past retirement and they said ‘Lady go home’…I was 74 at the time. Offcially you retired at 65. I kept my head down and hope nobody noticed… Old age has a hard time catching up with me.”

Her husband died in 2012. Considering what to do next. She retired and moved to Wimberley, a place familiar as her sister lives here.

“Wimberley, absolute paradise. I came from Houston tired of being afraid. Houston is mean. Home invasions…when I got here, no longer afraid. Now when somebody approaches me at Brookshire or H-E-B it is to help me with my groceries.”

She worked at home for five years and got on the board at Mustang Valley POA. She then heard about the Crisis Bread Basket.

“It was my first venture, somebody mentioned CBB.” Her computer skills took over and getting the right software up and running for the organization, which sorely need it. Her former career skills were being used and it made her happy.

She was elected to the board and “still works distribution on Thursdays. The software was implemented, then I was asked to serve on the Habitat for Humanity Board.”

Chapel of the Hills called next and she became assistant Treasurer. The Village Store was next. “Working in the Boutique, visitors come in and look around the store…people come from all over the country to the Village Store.” She continued.

“CBB warms my heart. Probably the most worthwhile experience. It blows me away. A family just moved here with three kids. With tears in his eyes, I handed him a sack of groceries. He grabbed me and hugged me… I had no idea there was so much need in the community.” One of the surprising things about current times is the majority of clients are seniors.

Although the pandemic has slowed down the world in general, Margaret loves her Thursdays at CBB.

“To me Wimberley is peaceful and beautiful. I live in the most unique community. I’ve always loved Hays County…no worries if there is a strange car in the driveway.