Barbara Nash Baker

Barbara Nash Baker, 98, homemaker, died Sunday, April 15, 2018 at her residence on Morrow Lane. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday at 1:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Reverend Phillip Wright, Jason Beard, and Cory Ross officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Monday from 4:00 P.M. - 8:00P.M. at the funeral home. The family suggests memorials be made to Columbia Academy, 1101 West 7th Street, Columbia, TN 38401, Zion Christian Academy, 6901 Old Zion Road, Columbia, TN 38401, or Spring Hill United Methodist Church, 5286 Main Street, Spring Hill, TN 37174. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com. Born February 13, 1920 in the Primm Springs Community of Hickman County, she was the daughter of the late Walter J. Nash and the late Bessie Primm Nash. On December 29, 1945 in Iuka, Mississippi, she married W. J. Baker. They were married for 50 years before his death in 1996. At the age of 16, Mrs. Baker was baptized in Lick Creek and has been a member of Spring Hill United Methodist Church for 60 years. Earlier in life, she taught briefly at a one-room school house in Hickman County. For several months, she worked as bookkeeper at Baker and Son Tractor Company, also known as the John Deere Store started by W.J. and Jim in 1969. At the age of 65, Mrs. Baker learned how to drive when she and W.J. moved to Columbia. She attended the Walking Horse Celebration in Shelbyville for almost 40 years. She always had a garden and did canning and freezing from the garden, killed hogs during the fall, raised chickens, cows, pigs, and horses. She enjoyed reading, sudoku, crossword puzzles, watching games shows on TV, a fan of the Atlanta Braves and Tennessee Volunteers, as well as knowing the birthdays of all her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and nieces. Family was very important to Mrs. Baker. At Thanksgiving, Christmas, and for her birthdays, her home would be filled with friends and relatives whom she loved dearly and who loved and cherished her. Mrs. Baker was a member of the Kedron Home Demonstration Club for several years and accumulated 1,608 hours of service as a volunteer with the Maury Regional Hospital Auxiliary, where she became a "Super Star". Survivors include her daughter, Elaine (Garry) Beard of Williamsport; sons, Jim (Terri) Baker of Columbia; Aubrey (Sherry) Baker of Columbia; Dr. Randall (Kathy) Baker of Lewisburg; Steve (Alpha Dean) Baker of Spring Hill; and Tim Baker of Shady Grove; sister, Ora Lee Maddox of Columbia; grandchildren, Lajuana Baker; Mark Baker; Ginger Baker; Holly Alsup; Farrah Clark; Shelly Huey; Daphne Sweeney; Katie Baker; Alicia Ross; Jason Beard; John Baker; Cody Baker; and Tanna Shadowen; twenty-five great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Aubrey Nash; Wallace Nash; and sister, Mary Nash. Active pallbearers will be Mark Baker, Jason Beard, Cody Baker, Bailey Davenport; Jeremy Sweeney; Cory Ross; Steve Huey; Chad Alsup; Jamie Clark; Nathan Butt; Nolan Butt; Jackson Alsup; and Parker Clark.The family would like to express a special thanks to Mrs. Baker's caregivers.