James L. Baker Jr.

It is with heavy hearts that a well-loved husband and father was taken from us too soon. James L Baker Jr was born January 27, 1955, in Montgomery, AL. Although he had heart failure and he was doing remarkably well, he passed on July 13, 2024, of a stroke just before embarking on a European trip of a lifetime with the love of his life, Nancy.

Jim was a graduate of Chatham HS and HVCC. He started Baker's Autobody in 1991 and has been in business for 33 years. He loved working in the community that he spent his whole life in.

He was predeceased by his mother, Esther Baker.

Jim is survived by his wife, Nancy (Metzger), his daughters, Jessica (Dennis) Fletcher, and Stacey Williams, father James Baker, brother John Baker, nieces Katie and Alexia, nephew Ethan, and many aunts and uncles.

He was involved in Eastern Star, the Masons, and a volunteer in the Ocean Fire Company in Chatham.

He met Nancy, on a plow day coordinated by Jim's best friend and Nancy's blacksmith, Noel Alsop. They hit it off famously and 5 months later he got on his knee and asked Nancy's mother and her two girls if it was ok to marry her. Everyone was ecstatic and they were married under four nut trees a short time later. What a glorious almost 30 years!

He walked through life as a kind man with a gentle strength touching the lives of everyone he encountered. Being a dad and a husband was extremely important to him. He loved God, long drives, going out to the barn and spending time with the horses, goats, sheep, chickens and dogs. Jim devotedly listened to his wife and together they enjoyed life, did projects around the house, and ate lots of ice cream.

Calling hours will be Tuesday, July 16th from 4-7pm at the French, Gifford, Preiter, & Blasl Funeral Home. Funeral services will take place at 10am on Wednesday, July 17th at the same location, followed by interment at the Chatham Rural Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Albany Stratton VA program. Condolences may be conveyed at frenchblasl.com.