James Baker
Jim, born March 5, 1947, to Fred and June Baker, unexpectedly passed away on July 16, 2024, at Serenity House. A Santa Barbara native, Jim spent his life surrounded by the beauty of the beach and the thrill of surfing. He was a proud Boy Scout, earning Eagle Scout the Order of the Arrow. He attended Garfield Elementary School, La Cumbre Junior High, and Santa Barbara High School, graduating in 1965. At SBHS, Jim was known for his athleticism, playing football as #25 and participated in track and field. GO DONS!
Jim’s journey took a pivotal turn when he met Selma Glasser at Santa Barbara High School. Though they parted ways and spent 6 1/2 years apart-Jim serving as a medical corpsman in Vietnam and Selma pursuing college-fate reunited them in the Alpha Beta parking lot on De La Vina. They married in 1972 and enjoyed over 52 years together, raising their beloved children, Jason Anthony Baker and Stacy Lynn Baker.
Jim had a distinguished career with Motel 6 and later Gold Crest Inc. before retiring.
His community involvement continued as he served on the Santa Barbara Grand Jury in 2019 and engaged in woodworking classes at Adult Education to create toys for the Unity Shoppe. Jim also delighted in crafting stained glass projects and secret gardens for his cherished granddaughters, Taylin Stacy Baker and Rylie Michelle Baker.
A lover of travel, Jim and his family embarked on many memorable vacations, including trips to Hawaii, Alaska, Bainbridge Island, Palm Springs, Mexico, as well as England, Australia, and Japan.
Jim was a kind and loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He deeply cherished his family and maintained a close bond with his sister, Janet Catlin.
He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Stacy Lynn Baker, his sister Shirley Lamont, and his parents Fred and June Baker.
Jim is survived by his devoted wife and best friend, Selma; son Jason (Wendy) and granddaughters Taylin and Rylie; his sister Janet, along with Kelly Catlin and family, Kerri Paris and family, Craig (Pat) Lamont, Debbie (Ken) Beckfeld, Terri Crawford, and numerous great-nieces and nephews.
A private service was held. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to VNA/Serenity House, 930 Miramonte Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 or Hospice of Santa Barbara in memory of Jim.