Marilyn (Teet) Rose Baethke

March 25, 1929 - June 2, 2020

Marilyn Rose (Teet) Baethke 91, of Oskaloosa and of formerly of Keswick, died Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at the Northern Mahaska Care Center in Oskaloosa. She was born Monday, March 25, 1929, in the family home south of Deep River, Iowa, the daughter of Raymond and Mildred (Yearin) Cranston. Teet started country school at the age of four. She was a Daddy’s girl, a tomboy and a sister who enjoyed a “good smoke” of tobacco with her siblings while hiding out in the cornfield. In high school Teet played basketball, participated in school plays and loved to go to dances. Teet graduated from Thornburg High School in 1946, and soon found a job at the overall factory in Oskaloosa, Iowa. On August 28, 1948, Teet married Elmer August (Tobe) Baethke at the Presbyterian Church in Sigourney, Iowa. Teet later joined the Lutheran faith. To this union one daughter was born, Toni. In the early 60’s Teet and her mother purchased the grocery store in Keswick, Iowa. It was there Teet found her calling to become an efficient business owner. In 1974, Teet wanted to purchase a small ice cream shop just to give kids a summer job. That business soon outgrew the building so Teet purchased a larger building, moved across the street and opened up Teet ‘n Tobe’s. As a leader, never a boss, Teet worked side by side with “her girls” putting Keswick on the map with delicious food while fulfilling her original goal – to give kids a job! Teet had a great faith and relied on her Lord and Savior to help her on a daily basis. She possessed a rare quality of genuine concern and welfare of others. Teet was a kind and caring soul, one who always wanted to help. Teet is survived by her daughter, Toni (Doran) Hull of Gibson, grandchildren: Heather Held, Ryan (Julie Corbett) Hull and Natalie (JD) Reed; great grandchildren: Corwin Hull, Spencer and Jacob Held, Simon and Hazel Reed, Victoria (David) Heady, Dayton, Tein and Nashlynn; her siblings: Jessie June Hale, Ronald Cranston and Wayne (Linda) Cranston; along with many nieces and nephews. Teet was preceded in death by her parents, husband: Tobe, brothers: Robert and Harlan Cranston. Funeral Services will be held will be held Saturday, June 6, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. at the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Pastor D.J. Danner officiating. According to the rules put in place by the Iowa Department of Public Health, proper social distancing and reasonable personal protective equipment is advised for attending a religious public event. The funeral service will be live streamed at the funeral home’s YouTube Channel for those wishing to support the family from a distance. Burial will follow services at Sorden Cemetery near Webster, Iowa. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Open visitation with a rolling limit of 10 in the building at any given time will begin on Friday after 2 p.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel until 7 p.m. Friday evening. Memorials may be made to the Marilyn Baethke Kindness Award to be established at Tri-County High School.