Eliza Barrett Baker

Eliza Barrett Baker passed away peacefully on September 22, 2022, with her husband by her side. She was a loving wife, a caring mother, and a supportive friend to many. Eliza was 43 years old.

A native of Gainesville, Georgia, Eliza attended Gainesville City Schools and graduated from Gainesville High School in 1997. She played on the 1995 State Championship Tennis team, enjoyed Friday night lights at City Park, and was a proud Red Elephant.

After high school, Eliza attended the University of Georgia, earning a Bachelor of Journalism in Public Relations from the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications and a minor in Political Science in 2000. She was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority.

After college, Eliza moved to Washington, DC, where she began working on Capitol Hill for the beloved and late Georgia Congressman Charlie Norwood. She loved politics, the excitement of the Hill, and working for Members of Congress who cared and wanted to make America a better place. In all, she served on the staff of five United States Congressmen, a United States Senator and helped elect numerous others to public office, ultimately serving as a Senate Deputy Chief of Staff and a Congressional Chief of Staff.

While in Washington, she first met her husband, Tim, in 2001. Together, they shared a love of politics and campaigns. In October 2003, Eliza and Tim were married in Gainesville, Georgia.

Eliza loved her long talks with Tim about current events and their boys. She enjoyed his pork BBQ and cucumber salad, the dinners he cooked on the weekends, and watching tv and the Little League World Series with him on the couch while he rubbed her feet. They loved traveling to the beach and visiting the mountains together. She was the President of the Coach Baker Second Guessers Club, always telling Tim what he should have done differently in a baseball game. 

Her faith and relationship with her Lord and Savior were central in her life. While in high school, she participated in Young Life and served on work crew at various Young Life camps. She was a life-long member of Gainesville First United Methodist Church, participating in Bible studies, ministries, and served on the church children’s council. As with any challenges she faced, including her recent illness, she trusted in God for guidance.

Eliza was an enthusiastic supporter of all things Gainesville, Georgia. She loved Inn-Between sandwiches, biscuits from Fraser’s, Longstreet Cafe, and the steak soup from Poor Richard’s, and was a past member of the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County.

A devoted member of the Bulldog nation, you would always find her cheering on Georgia each Saturday in the fall and then calling her dad to recap the game, often calling for Mark Richt’s or Kirby Smarts’ head. All Waynewood knew the Dawgs were National Champions in January 2022 when Eliza loudly and proudly “Called the Dawgs” in the middle of the night.

Eliza and Tim shared three sons that she loved and adored so much. Eliza was so excited to be a mom to three boys. That is all she ever wanted.

Jackson made Eliza a mom in 2005, the greatest gift she could imagine. She loved his kind-hearted, sweet soul. It brought her happiness watching him do life and the dedication and hard work he put into accomplishing his goals.

She was proud of Barrett’s independence, self-confidence, and empathy for his friends. Eliza was amazed at his sheer joy for life and how he made the best of everything he did, no matter the situation.

Eliza loved that Crawford completed her family. His entertainment, spunk, competitiveness, and inquisitive personality kept her constantly on her toes. She adored his infectious and mischievous smile and was glad they shared the love of music.

Eliza was Jackson’s, Barrett’s, and Crawford’s strongest advocate, supporter, and cheerleader in school, sports, and life. It brought her so much happiness that they were baseball players. You would find her on any given day at a ball field, cheering them on as they played little league, travel, and high school baseball. Much to the chagrin of others, Eliza loved being the loudest baseball mom in the park and was so proud of their home runs, pitching outings, championships, and accomplishments.

More than anything, Eliza was very proud of the young men Jackson, Barrett, and Crawford are becoming and was excited to see where their dreams took them.

Eliza is survived by Timothy Ryan Baker, her husband of nearly 19 years, her three sons: Jackson Richard Baker, William Barrett Baker, and Crawford Charles Baker; her father Floyd Anthony Barrett, her mother Dianne King Barrett, her sister Kingsley Barrett Peeples and her husband William Vance Peeples, Jr., and many other aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

For friends in the northern Virginia area, a Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at Aldersgate United Methodist Church.

The family will also receive friends in Gainesville, Georgia at Gainesville First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, from 5:00 to 6:00 pm, followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at Gainesville First United Methodist Church. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Eliza Baker Memorial Scholarship, which will be awarded annually to a former Fort Hunt Little League baseball player who plays baseball at the collegiate level. Donations may be mailed to the: Eliza Baker Memorial Scholarship, 903 Dewolfe Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308, or online at ElizaBakerMemorialScholarship.org.

Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel 989 Riverside Drive Gainesville, Georgia is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com