James Scott Baker, 89, of Winchester, VA, passed away on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at Shenandoah Valley Westminster Canterbury.

Jim was born in 1934 in Lansing, MI, the son of the late Scott and Clara Baker. He attended the University of Michigan where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1956, Jim served in the US Navy, Civil Engineering Corps as an officer of public works and construction management, rising to the rank of Lieutenant. Following an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1959, he returned to the University of Michigan and earned a master’s degree in public administration, in 1961.

In November of 1959 while at the University of Michigan, he met Helen Frances (Fran) Harris. Jim and Fran married on September 2, 1961, at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, MI, and were married for 62 years.

Jim began his career in Grand Haven, MI as the Director of Public Works. After a short time in Grand Haven, Jim and Fran moved to Maryland where Jim worked for the University of Maryland, and as Director of Inspections and Permits in Prince George’s County, MD.

Between 1968 and 1973, Jim took an expat assignment with Booz Allen Hamilton based in Bangkok, Thailand and Taipei, Taiwan where his focus was on water development projects and city planning. Jim, Fran, and their family of four children returned to Maryland in late 1973. Until he retired in 2006, Jim worked on many domestic and international projects as an independent consultant with stints as the Director of the Department of Environmental Protection, Montgomery County, MD (1979 to 1983) and as the Director of the Project Finance Group with Chemonics International, Inc. in Washington D.C. (1997 to 2002).

Beyond his career accomplishments, Jim epitomized the dependable, loving family man. He was a devoted husband, a loving father to his children and doting “Papa” to his grandchildren. Always supportive of his children’s swim team participation, Jim could be found timing for hours on end at their swim meets and often volunteered to drive them to early morning swim practices. His grandchildren brought him much joy and he was endlessly proud of them. Jim enjoyed annual summer vacations with his family to the Outer Banks in North Carolina and organized several family reunions since his retirement.

Jim was also an avid and loyal fan of the Michigan University football and basketball teams, and his family is grateful he lived to see Michigan win the College Football Championship.

Jim was an active member of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac, MD for 40 years. He was a member of the St. Francis Vestry and completed the four-year theology program, “Education for Ministry” offered by University of the South. He was artistic and occasionally enjoyed painting and making models of ships.

Jim was preceded in death by his sister, Margaret Carlson of Lansing, MI, and is survived by his wife, daughters, Anne Baker of McLean, VA, Julie Bateman of Park City, UT, Jennifer Frederick (Scott) of Bethesda, MD; son, Kirk Baker (Anelsy) of Longboat Key, FL; grandchildren, Reinaldo Amendola, Katherine Bateman, Kelsey Frederick, James Bateman, Kendall Frederick and his sister, Martha Freeman of Tucson, AZ.

A memorial service will be held at St. Frances Episcopal Church in Potomac, MD on April 13 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement in honor of Jim’s wife Fran who is currently battling dementia.

Please make all checks payable to WAM at Cleveland Clinic. You may send the checks to: The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic/Philanthropy Institute, PO Box 931517, Cleveland, OH 44193-1655
https://donate.thewomensalzheimersmovement.org