Joanne Prescott Baker

Joanne Prescott Baker died peacefully at Houston Hospice on January 2, 2016. She was born on December 20,1932 in Cleveland Ohio to Carolyn Brayton Prescott and Edward Purcell Prescott. She attended Hathaway Brown School, where she was crowned May Day Queen her senior year, and Vassar College. She and her husband, Lovett Baker, courted in New York City while she worked at MCA (Music Corporation of America).

Joanne and Lovett settled in Houston where they raised their three children. Joanne was a devoted mom as well as a passionate and dedicated community volunteer. She was an integral part of the Junior League Outpatient Clinic at Texas Children’s Hospital, serving as Chairman and later serving as Chairman of the Advisory Board. She held many other leadership roles in the Junior League, including Special Events Chairman, Co-Chairman of the Charity Ball, and Style Show Chairman. Joanne likewise was dedicated to her work in the cardiovascular ICU as part of St. Luke’s Hospital Women’s Auxiliary, as well as the Garden Club of Houston, the Alley Theatre, Family Service Center, and Neighborhood Centers Inc. where she was a lifetime board member. Joanne loved Rice University and was instrumental in the early development of RIPA (Rice Institute for Policy Analysis).

In addition to her volunteerism, Joanne was a businesswoman. She created and worked together with her daughters and friends in a children’s clothing store called the Purple Pelican. She and her family spent many wonderful summers at Texas Corinthian Yacht Club with lifelong friends. As empty nesters, Joanne and Lovett built their dream beach house in Galveston where they would spend the majority of their time when not traveling.

Joanne was beloved by all who knew her. She loved to sing and to dance, and had a marvelous sense of humor as well as a great sense of fun. She was an avid reader, a meticulous needlepointer, enjoyed political discussions, and was a world traveler.

She and Lovett traveled to six continents on extraordinary trips that provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for them. She also cherished her frequent trips with her children and grandchildren, whether to Savannah, to Africa, to New York City for the theater and shopping, or to Montana for the mountains.

She is survived by her brother Edward Purcell Prescott, Jr., her sister-in-law Anne Baker Horton, her children Melissa (Missy) Jones and her husband Scott, Lovett (Chip) Baker, Jr. and his wife Georgia, and Caroline Hurley and her husband Bruce. She leaves behind six grandchildren: Brian Jones and his wife Sarah Van Beurden, Courtney Roberts and her husband Shane, Lovett Baker III, Grace Elizabeth Hurley, Emma Hurley, and Bruce Hurley III, as well as three great grandchildren: Mees Van Beurden Jones, Abigail Roberts and Owen Roberts. She is also survived by nine nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank all the staff at the Belmont Village West University for their wonderful care and dedicated work, particularly Dave Butz, Bruce Goodrich, Rachelle Parks, Linda Butler, Wanda Dean, and Corrine Goodman. We also want to express our appreciation to Chely Campos and Marian Dever for their longtime assistance and companionship, as well as to Houston Hospice for their compassionate and sensitive care of our lovely mother.

A private graveside service is to be conducted at noon on Friday, the 8th of January at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston, where The Rev. Martin J. Bastian, Vice-Rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, is to officiate.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joanne’s memory may be directed to the Junior League of Houston, 1811 Briar Oaks Ln, Houston, TX 77027; Neighborhood Centers Inc., 4500 Bissonnet St., Suite 200, Bellaire, TX 77401; or Houston Hospice, 1905 Holcombe Blvd., Attn: Annette Moore, Houston, TX 77030-4123.