Anita Baedke-Plucker, nicknamed Katie, was born and raised in Terril, Iowa.
After graduating from Terril Community School, Katie attended Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, Iowa, receiving a BA in Art Education. She put her artistic career on hold as she soon married and stayed home with her two boys. As the boys grew older, Katie was able to create more work and began to enter area art shows. Her artwork continued to evolve and grow popular as she went from art show to art show, to having limited-edition prints published, to displaying her work in juried regional and national exhibitions and galleries.
After joining the Spencer Area Arts Council, Anita became Director of the Gallery Shop and later, worked full time as the Director of Education and Outreach for Arts on Grand in Spencer until the art department position at the Spencer Middle School opened. Katie resigned after 15 years of teaching, enabling her to become a full-time artist and to continue her love to teach by conducting workshops throughout the Midwest and at her studio/gallery, Artworks by Anita, in Terril, Iowa.
Katie was a signature member of the Iowa Watercolor Society and the American Watercolor Society.
Katie found beauty in all things, she loved being in nature; boating, hiking, bicycling, kayaking, bird watching and, most recently, camping with her family.
She was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Milford.
Katie is survived by her husband, Mark of Terril; her sons, Jeremy Plucker of Spencer, and Kyle (Kristy) Plucker of Sergeant Bluff; her grandchildren, Owen, Ross and Scott Plucker and Katrina Carpenter; and her siblings, Evan Baedke, Spirit Lake, Julie (Michael) Miller, Webster City, Linda (John) Jennings, Salem, NC and Neal (Deb) Baedke, Des Moines.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Marilyn (Maas) Baedke.
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