Jessica Baker

Jessica Lee Baker, beloved daughter of Kevin and Joanna Baker, died at home September 24, 2023. Jessica was born in Dallas, Texas December 13, 1984, and is survived by her parents, her devoted brother and sister, Scott R. Baker and Rachel Jordan, and their families, sister-in-love Hannah Baker, nieces Ella Kay Baker and Evelyn Baker, and brother-in-love Taylor Jordan and nieces Frances (Frankie) Jordan and Maisie Jordan. She is preceded in death by her grandparents Alton L. Harbin and Ann E. Harbin and Calvin D. Baker and Billie Baker. Her family is devastated and heartbroken but are at peace knowing that Jessica has begun living her best life in the presence of our all-knowing, all-loving creator God and that they will someday join her and be able to talk to her and listen to her like never before.

To know Jessica is to love Jessica. She was best known for her beaming smile and her signature phrase, “happy heart!” Jessica loved, “music and movies, but most of all her friends,” as memorialized in the lyrics of “Jessica’s Song,” written by cousin Elizabeth Crawford. She loved music by Bryan Adams, who Jessica and her mother were fortunate to meet, Journey, Foreigner, The Chicks, and David Crosby. Her favorite movies, which she often quoted, were the Disney Classics, Winnie the Pooh, and other family movies featuring animals and baseball. Much to her brother’s and sister’s chagrin but tolerance, Jessica also loved watching, “Buttercream Gang.” Jessica particularly enjoyed Christmas movies, which she tried to wait until after Thanksgiving for. She loved watching “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood,” “Blue’s Clues,” (She kind of had a crush on Steve!) and “Sesame Street”—especially Elmo and Big Bird.

Her parents are so grateful for memories of Jessica’s happy heart from a trip to Disney World in 2018, where Jessica got to hug and spend time with all her favorite Disney characters.

As keeper of the calendar for yearly holidays and celebrations, Jessica loved talking about the next celebration, the order in which the following celebrations would occur, where we would celebrate, who would be there, and what we would eat. In keeping with Jessica’s happy heart, one of her favorites was Valentine’s, which the family celebrated with a feast as big as Thanksgiving, featuring heart-shaped pasta, heart-shaped bread, heart-shaped ham, sides served in heart-shaped dishes, and most importantly, heart-shaped chocolate dessert. The table would be decorated with red, pink, and white M&Ms, conversation hearts, and a bag of little gifts for each family member.

Jessica was a Daddy’s girl, and he loves her like no other. He approached her waking hours every morning with a song, prayed with her every night, and could calm her anxieties with a touch and a word. In her later years, it was he who carried her weight during transfers and made sure she was comfortable in her chair, the car, and her bed. Kevin frequently boasts that he is honored and privileged to be Jessica’s Daddy. Jessica’s Mama could often be heard reminding Jessica that she was so blessed that Jessica was her first baby that made her a mama. She was a fierce advocate for Jessica’s health and quality of life. Joanna loved singing to and with Jessica from day one. Jessica loved rooting for her brother’s rowing team at Westerville North, screaming, “Go Westerville!” as Scott’s boat passed in front of Jessica, her parents, and sister Rachel. She enjoyed wrestling about with Scott when they were little, each learning the benefits and risks of leveraging the bar attached to Jessica’s thoracic brace she wore to treat scoliosis. (Really, it was funny!) Though Jessica is the oldest, she was better known as the littlest of the Baker siblings, and she loved her big brother and sister. During Rachel’s early years, Jessica gave her sister a hard time as Jessica learned to share the “princess spotlight”—which she always shared with her mother—but grew to enjoy Rachel’s attention and listening to Rachel play the flute and piano. Inspired by Jessica’s medical trials, Rachel became a nurse, of which Jessica was proud—always asking if Rachel was going with us when visiting the doctor.

Jessica’s capacity to love and be loved only grew with the addition of siblings Hannah Baker and Taylor Jordan as they married Scott and Rachel. Hannah and Taylor each have their own special relationship with Jessica that included specific activities, and phrases. Jessica’s happy heart grew even more with the addition of each niece, first Ella Kay Baker, then Evelyn Baker, then Frances (Frankie) Jordan, and then Maisie Jordan. Each one of her nieces intuitively understand that Jessica is a special aunt and they each love and appreciate Jessica’s happy heart. They also really enjoyed Jessica’s toys and watching movies with her!

Jessica loved going out to eat, both with her family or with her friends from the Dreamshine day program in Sunbury, OH, and caregivers and companions. Everyone who knows Jessica knew it would be “Cheeseburger (or grilled cheese, or cheese quesadillas), French fries, Diet Coke, and ketchup,” and whatever chocolate dessert was on the menu.

Jessica was brave. She endured many surgeries, hospitalizations, and doctors’ appointments and still managed to share her big smile and happy heart with doctors, nurses, and other staff, perhaps doling out her biggest smiles for male staff. The family is especially grateful to nephrologist Dr. Kevin Schroeder and peritoneal dialysis nurse Courtney Willard, who treated Jessica as their own and gave Jessica and her family extra special care leading up to and during dialysis. Dr. Michael Saribalas and staff treated Jessica with special care and helped “make things happen,” that might have seemed insurmountable to others. Primary care physician Christopher Hanks is knowledgeable, caring and kind, and quickly provided treatment, consults and referrals as needed and genuinely enjoyed Jessica.

From the moment she was born, she was surrounded by those who loved her and were invested in helping Jessica to live her best life despite the limitations of her chromosome abnormality. She spent her first 10 weeks of life in Dallas Methodist Hospital where her mother spent every waking hour and members of her family, which include Wendy Shamel, Kimberly Goff, Tracey Marquardt, and Russell Ward, visited daily. Jessica daily surpassed her doctors’ expectations by meeting each milestone set for her.

As a toddler, she attended Helping Hand Early Childhood Development Center in Irving, TX, where she and her mother made lifelong friends with classmate Brandon Almand and his mother Karen Dominey. Patty Smith was a special teacher there who was instrumental in teaching Jessica her first sign—drink. Karen and Joanna spent many hours with their noses pushed up against the school’s one-way window watching their babies learn and grow as well as walking the halls of the Texas State Capitol as they lobbied Texas Congress men and women to fund early childhood education.

Later, Jessica would attend Grand Prairie’s Dalworth Elementary School, Florence Hill Elementary School, and Meadowbrook Elementary School in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD. Debbie Mercer and her children became special friends and family to Jessica and her family as Debbie cared for Jessica before and after school and more where she became fondly known as “little Jessica.”

During those early years, Jessica’s grandparents were involved in Jessica’s daily life transporting her between her school, home, and physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy and various other appointments while her parents worked. Otherwise, they “spoiled” Jessica in only the way grandparents can. Her Grandma loved to hear Jessica sing, “Edelweiss” from “The Sound of Music,” and her Grandpa loved designing and building things for Jessica to make life easier. Al and Ann later moved to Columbus to be close to their daughter’s family and were able to continue enjoying Jessica’s happy heart and songs until their deaths in 2019 and 2020.

When Jessica was 8, the family moved to Columbus, OH where she attended Westerville City Schools. Soon after, the family became friends with Gale and Tonya Flowers and their children and Jessica became a child to “second parents.” Her relationship with the Flowers is where she developed the phrase “happy heart.” Later, Dean and Cindy Gladura moved to the neighborhood, where the three families enjoyed and benefited from raising their children together with a special eye out for Jessica. David Hohl later joined the neighborhood and enjoyed a special music bond with Jessica, David often playing the guitar for her and singing “Summer of ‘69” with her.

Soon after their move to Columbus, Jessica and her family joined their church family at Dwell Community Church in Columbus (then Xenos Christian Fellowship) where they became and still are members of a home church family who loves Jessica. Kevin and Joanna quickly became involved with the Oasis Children’s Ministry, particularly in serving families who had children with disabilities.

Jessica’s family of friends grew as the family planted roots in Columbus, (while firmly hanging onto their Texas roots) as she attended Huber Ridge Elementary School, Blendon Middle school, and Westerville North High School. Teachers Sandra Trask-Tyler and Kristen Yearling impacted Jessica’s and her family’s lives in ways beyond expression as did administrators, therapists, other teachers, and students. Jessica’s happy heart grew and grew.

The Bakers welcomed special caregivers to their family who worked one-on one with Jessica and developed special relationships with her and the family including Marla Moskowitz, Stacey Mathis, Angela Palmer, Laura Eff, Cori Bloch, Katie Poling, Kayleigh Allen, Kelsey Harvey, physical therapist Stephanie Duffey, C.J. Higbea, and Ashley Jennings. Each one has their own special relationship with Jessica, and each enriched her life with their love and care.

After graduating high school in 2007, Jessica attended Goodwill and All R Friends Day Programs. Since 2013, Jessica has been a member of Dreamshine Day Program in Sunbury, OH, where she enjoyed, along with her friends there, doing crafts, singing karaoke, dancing, soaking in the hot tub, swimming, going out for coffee and lunch, and other community outings and activities. Jessica’s time there was made extra special by program director Danielle Horne, and teachers Zalese (Jeannie) Rushing and Nate Rich.

Jessica is also survived by, is loved by, and will be missed by Aunt Julie Allison, Uncle and Aunt Scott P. and Vicki Baker, her special Aunt Jeri Walsh, and cousins, Bryan Crawford, Matt and Teresa Crawford, Jennifer Baker, Emily Crawford, the before-mentioned Elizabeth Crawford, and Timothy Crawford and several second cousins.

Schoedinger Worthington is handling arrangements for Jessica. Visitation will be Friday, October 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Schoedinger, 6699 N. High Street, Worthington, OH and Celebration of Life will be at the family’s church, Dwell Community Fellowship, Warehouse Campus, 600 Oakland Park Ave., Columbus, OH, Saturday, October 7 at 2:00 p.m., reception after. Those who would like to make a donation in Jessica’s memory, may do so at: Dreamshine, Special Projects in memory of Jessica Baker, 3821 Blue Church Rd., Sunbury, OH 43074.