Carol and Rob Baker After 35 years of serving Flora and Carroll County, Rob and Carol Baker are selling their funeral home business to Carl and Leah Abbott of Delphi. Transfer of ownership is expected on Jan. 1.

Baker and Abbott have worked together professionally for many years, assisting each other with funerals and time away for family vacations.

It is our plan, said Abbott, for Baker to continue to work for the funeral homes.

“There will be no major changes at the Flora location, just a focus on providing the same level of care to the community that the Bakers have done for over 35 years, accepting that burden from our families to make one of life’s most difficult times less complicated,” Abbott said.

Abbott, a Carroll County native and licensed funeral director for the past 21 years, purchased his location in Delphi for Abbott Funeral Home in December 1995. He married the former Leah Cable in June 1997. A registered nurse and homemaker, she is involved in all aspects of their business. They have three children, Noah, Myah and Elah.

Carl and Leah Abbott The Bakers purchased the funeral home from Mary Catherine Carter, the widow of Mark Carter, in 1974. The Carters had originally started the funeral home in Cutler, moving the business to its present location on South Center Street in Flora in 1939. The Bakers raised their family there.

In addition to funeral services, the Abbotts will continue to offer prearrangement services and monument selection at the Flora location, to be called Baker-Abbott Funeral Home. Office hours will be announced later.