Katharine Haywood Baker
Katharine Haywood Baker
Obituary
Katharine Haywood Baker Obituary
Published by Legacy Remembers on Sep. 8, 2024.
Katharine Haywood Baker, of Louisville, KY, passed away peacefully at her home on August 28, 2024, following a brief bout of pancreatic cancer. She was 61 years old.
Kat was born in New York City on February 6, 1963, the first child of William and Faith Baker. She grew up in St. Petersburg, FL, and graduated from St. Petersburg High School in 1981 with awards in academics, leadership, and community service.
From an early age, Kat developed a passion for reading and writing. Her love for literature led her to pursue her Bachelor's in English at Duke University (1985) and a Master's in English from the University of Virginia (1991).
Kat was compelled to help others find meaning and purpose in their lives in direct and practical ways. With a Master's in Theological Studies from Duke Divinity School (2000) and a PhD in Religion, Psychology and Culture from Vanderbilt University (2008), she dedicated her career to university teaching and community outreach. Professor Baker designed and taught courses to foster personal and professional development, focusing on moral psychology and spiritual formation. She is remembered for her passion for mentoring others and regularly welcoming small groups of students into her home.
As Assistant Director of Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching, Kat taught professors to better connect with their students. As Assistant Director of Vanderbilt's Cal Turner Program for Moral Leadership in the Professions, she partnered with local nonprofits to develop service-learning projects, establishing initiatives like the Re-Visioning Justice Program, which addressed mass incarceration and promoted restorative justice. More recently, Kat balanced her role as a Theology professor at Bellarmine University with leading her own coaching firm, Lodestar Guidance.
Kat demonstrated a lifelong commitment to ethical responsibility and social justice, which included working with the Ipas Impact Network to ensure reproductive rights internationally, and Nashville's Community Resource Center, where she facilitated corporate donations. She regularly gave her time to local outreach efforts, including Thistle Farms, which helps women overcome the cycle of trafficking and addiction, and the Covid Grief Network, where she counseled young adults who lost family members during the pandemic.
Aunt Kat showered her nephews, godchildren and chosen family nieces with attention and unwavering support; she made it her mission to boost their self-confidence and encourage their independent thinking. Kat had long ago honed her skills as a joyful and nurturing influence with her own siblings. Kat always loved to be outside - cycling, hiking, kayaking, bodysurfing and dancing. No one could shag dance better than Kat!
Kat will be profoundly missed by her parents, Faith Baker (Darrell Menscer) and William "Buck" Baker (Mary Kay); her siblings, Emily Tobin (David), William Baker (Rita Horvath), Kemp Baker and stepsister Darlyne Menscer; and her nephews, Lorenzo, Hayes and Leo. The Baker family expresses deep gratitude to Kat's dear friends, Amy Hirschy and Scott Choffel, for their tireless care and devotion to her.
A private family service will be held on September 27th at the Kanuga Episcopal Conference Center. A celebration of Kat's life is being planned in Nashville, TN, with details to be announced soon. The family requests that no flowers be sent. Please consider donating to Ipas (ipas.org), the Community Resource Center (crcmidtn.org), or Thistle Farms (thistlefarms.org) in Kat's honor.
Kat was born in New York City on February 6, 1963, the first child of William and Faith Baker. She grew up in St. Petersburg, FL, and graduated from St. Petersburg High School in 1981 with awards in academics, leadership, and community service.
From an early age, Kat developed a passion for reading and writing. Her love for literature led her to pursue her Bachelor's in English at Duke University (1985) and a Master's in English from the University of Virginia (1991).
Kat was compelled to help others find meaning and purpose in their lives in direct and practical ways. With a Master's in Theological Studies from Duke Divinity School (2000) and a PhD in Religion, Psychology and Culture from Vanderbilt University (2008), she dedicated her career to university teaching and community outreach. Professor Baker designed and taught courses to foster personal and professional development, focusing on moral psychology and spiritual formation. She is remembered for her passion for mentoring others and regularly welcoming small groups of students into her home.
As Assistant Director of Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching, Kat taught professors to better connect with their students. As Assistant Director of Vanderbilt's Cal Turner Program for Moral Leadership in the Professions, she partnered with local nonprofits to develop service-learning projects, establishing initiatives like the Re-Visioning Justice Program, which addressed mass incarceration and promoted restorative justice. More recently, Kat balanced her role as a Theology professor at Bellarmine University with leading her own coaching firm, Lodestar Guidance.
Kat demonstrated a lifelong commitment to ethical responsibility and social justice, which included working with the Ipas Impact Network to ensure reproductive rights internationally, and Nashville's Community Resource Center, where she facilitated corporate donations. She regularly gave her time to local outreach efforts, including Thistle Farms, which helps women overcome the cycle of trafficking and addiction, and the Covid Grief Network, where she counseled young adults who lost family members during the pandemic.
Aunt Kat showered her nephews, godchildren and chosen family nieces with attention and unwavering support; she made it her mission to boost their self-confidence and encourage their independent thinking. Kat had long ago honed her skills as a joyful and nurturing influence with her own siblings. Kat always loved to be outside - cycling, hiking, kayaking, bodysurfing and dancing. No one could shag dance better than Kat!
Kat will be profoundly missed by her parents, Faith Baker (Darrell Menscer) and William "Buck" Baker (Mary Kay); her siblings, Emily Tobin (David), William Baker (Rita Horvath), Kemp Baker and stepsister Darlyne Menscer; and her nephews, Lorenzo, Hayes and Leo. The Baker family expresses deep gratitude to Kat's dear friends, Amy Hirschy and Scott Choffel, for their tireless care and devotion to her.
A private family service will be held on September 27th at the Kanuga Episcopal Conference Center. A celebration of Kat's life is being planned in Nashville, TN, with details to be announced soon. The family requests that no flowers be sent. Please consider donating to Ipas (ipas.org), the Community Resource Center (crcmidtn.org), or Thistle Farms (thistlefarms.org) in Kat's honor.
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