Janice Baker

Janice Marie Baker of Austin, Texas, passed away peacefully on May 2, 2022, surrounded by members of her family.

She was born on March 15, 1944, in Buffalo, New York, to Edwin and Ruth Dooley. Since her father was a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jan had the opportunity of growing up in various American cities due to her father's official government assignments. After years living in Washington D.C., and New Orleans, Louisiana, the family settled in San Diego, California, which Jan always considered her home town. It was there she met Robert Baker, also an FBI agent, fell in love, and married in August, 1967; shortly thereafter, the couple  moved to New York, where their first child, Deborah Marie, was born in December 1969. In September 1972, the family moved to Austin, Texas,  where, in November 1975, a son, Brian Edward, was born.

Jan was a devoted and loving wife of fifty-four years, who, on numerous occasions, voluntarily assisted her husband in performance of his FBI special assignments. For such assistance, she received two letters of commendation from the director of the FBI.

Her two children were the delights of her life. She was the most loving mother to them and to her five grandchildren:  A.J., Cole, Grace, and twins, Addison and Jacob. Later, Jan welcomed Brian's wife, Dana, and her children, Hannah, Lucas, and Mason into the Baker family. A close and loved family member was Alan Meadows, Debbie's husband, who was always there to lend a helping hand in so many ways.

Jan has always maintained  close relationships over the years with her stepsister, Betsy Kasch and her late husband, Gary, of Spring Branch, Texas, stepbrothers Bob Strahl, wife Liz, of Bonita, California, and Bill Strahl, wife Wee, of Huntington Beach, California.

Jan was preceded in death by her birth parents, stepmother, Dorothy Strahl, older brother, Thomas, and his wife, Martha, of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jan was a very warm, affable, and generous person. She developed many close friendships wherever she lived but none more so than in Austin. Here she was a member of two special social groups, the Shady Ladies of Shady Hollow and the Austin Chicks of Westlake. She always looked forward to socializing with these friends at their planned luncheons and informal get togethers.

In all, Jan lived a full life filled with love, devotion and friendship. She will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved her. May she rest in peace.