Marci Claire Baak
June 26, 1969 - January 24, 2021
“The Nurse in Converse”
On January 24, 2021, our dear mother and friend Marci Claire Baak, together with her beloved husband Ken McCurdy, took leave of this earthly plane on to their next adventure.
In Marci’s 51 years of dirt beneath her Converse covered feet, she lived bigger and bolder than many ever will. Her stunning beauty and sparkling smile gifted her a modeling career in her younger years that allowed her to live and work in Australia, Italy, Singapore, and Japan. Her love of the world and exploration of all its corners never ended as she made her way across Europe, Asia, and the United States. After jumping back and forth between Los Angeles and New York City, she eventually settled in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She graduated from Westminster College in 2007 with her RN, earned her Masters degree as a Nurse Midwife in 2011, and returned to Frontier Nursing University for her post-masters certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2017. Her dedication to education and compassion toward humanity contributed to her success as a health professional for 13 years with a broad range of skills for the individuals she worked with. She worked in cardiology, home health nursing, out-of-hospital maternity care, pain management, substance use disorder, aesthetics, wound care, management of multiple chronic conditions for the elderly, hospice, and house calls for home-bound patients. Marci’s greatest passion was her contribution to bringing life into this world as a midwife. This is where she naturally brought something wild and intuitive into medicine.
Above all the lives she brought into this world as a midwife, above her degrees, her fights and survivals; her greatest accomplishment and love was for bringing to life her 3 children and fiercely loving them and protecting them in the best way that she knew how. She loved them above all others and all things.
Marci lived and loved impulsively and passionately. She was brave and beautiful, strong and wild, full of fire and fight and intrigue for the slightly dangerous (hence her passion for Jeeping). Yet, she also carried the gentleness, compassion, and grace to lift new life into the world and to lovingly care for the elderly. She held this world, her children, her life, with hands that have cared for the skin and hearts and bodies of so many people. When holding it became too heavy, she quietly let go. Off again to the next big adventure with Kenny, the love of her life by her side.
Marci is survived by her three children, who made up the entirety of her world, Zoe Baak-Rich (age 22), Rowan Roundy (age 15) and Ronald (Willy) Roundy (age 13), Father Ronald Baak & Regina, mother Linda Remenyi & Andrew, sister Deidra Baak, and many friends.
Please join us for a slide presentation and a few words via Zoom:
Saturday, February 6, 2021 noon-1pm MST
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4782076105?pwd=cnJsY3ROUjg2T3FkRzh0Z3R0YUFaZz09 Meeting ID: 478 207 6105 Passcode: 485754
Due to current circumstances, you may honor Marci and Kenny at a temporary memorial that will be set up Saturday, February 6, 1pm – 4pm at 819 East Hudson Avenue, Salt Lake City 84106 There will be a place to leave written memories or take a moment to reflect.
In Loving Memory
My thoughts and prayers are with you kids. I am so sorry for your loss. Marci is my cousin and I uploaded a picture of when we were Young kids dancing at Disneyland. Your mom was a dear sweet soul and I always loved seeing photos of you kids on FB along with her adventures. I send you hugs and if you ever want to reach out to this side of the family you all will be welcomed. Hugs
I miss you so much and I love you, my Marsupial. The world is lesser place without you in it. Love from your Auntie Roo.
.... And, as I flew out of Salt Lake City Utah and back to Cambridge Massachusetts, I looked out the window of the plane. Taken aback, yet again, by the beauty of Salt Lake City, I took a photo and I remember wondering if this would end up being the last time I saw you in real life and got to hold you and love you in real time. And do you know what I have realised, as I have gone back over our photos Marci? It was. It was the last time. See, you just never know when the last time is going to be. So, always, always, make it count... I cannot believe this. Zoe, Rowan and Willy, I am always here for you, even though it seems I am a world away.
How we Survive - Mark Rickerby If we are fortunate, we are given a warning. If not, there is only the sudden horror, the wrench of being torn apart; of being reminded that nothing is permanent, not even the ones we love, the ones our lives revolve around. Life is a fragile affair. We are all dancing on the edge of a precipice, a dizzying cliff so high we can't see the bottom. One by one, we lose those we love most into the dark ravine. So we must cherish them without reservation. Now. Today. This minute. We will lose them or they will lose us someday. This is certain. There is no time for bickering. And their loss will leave a great pit in our hearts; a pit we struggle to avoid during the day and fall into at night. Some, unable to accept this loss, unable to determine the worth of life without them, jump into that black pit spiritually or physically, hoping to find them there. And some survive the shock, the denial, the horror, the bargaining, the barren, empty aching, the unanswered prayers, the sleepless nights when their breath is crushed under the weight of silence and all that it means. Somehow, some survive all that and, like a flower opening after a storm, they slowly begin to remember the one they lost in a different way... The laughter, the irrepressible spirit, the generous heart, the way their smile made them feel, the encouragement they gave even as their own dreams were dying. And in time, they fill the pit with other memories the only memories that really matter. We will still cry. We will always cry. But with loving reflection more than hopeless longing. And that is how we survive. That is how the story should end. That is how they would want it to be.
Gecontroleerd en heel veel sterkte namens Olga en tante Stien en janwillem.offenberg
I wish you peace Marci. And Grace.
Marci was the medical provider for many of us at our assisted living facility. She was much loved for her exceptional skills, honesty, kindness , boundless intellect and occasional challenge of the status quo. Her beauty was breathtaking and so stylish. She was absolutely unique and fearless. It was an honor to know her and I will miss her forever.
Sleep peacefully beautiful ❤️ soul.Gone way to soon .
❤
Marci came into my life 20 years ago with her precious Zoe who was 2 years old. Her greatest loves are her 3 children. My heart breaks for each of you that she will no longer share this life with you. Marci lived her life with great passion and she met her struggles head on to overcome them. I loved her dearly and so many of us will miss her. Marci you will be in my heart always.
Marci, I can hardly understand that you are no longer here and have exchanged the earthly life for the heavenly. I got to know you through you grandpa ‘opa’ who was very fond of you and you loved him. You were always there for him and I hope you meet up there again. Marci you will forever remain in my memory as that sweet and caring granddaughter and the many contacts we had together about ‘opa’ . Marcy rest in peace. Raymond
In Loving Memory
