Obituary of Christopher Boyce Baker

Christopher Boyce Baker (1949 – 2025) passed away on December 28, 2025 after a short illness.

For those who knew Chris, it is fitting that his first words as an infant were “Hi there.”  Unfailingly fascinated by the world around him, over the course of his life Chris was an experienced sailor, an avid cyclist, a recreational scuba diver, a pianist, a sports car enthusiast, a voracious reader and a collector of canned SPAM memorabilia.  He was an early adopter of blogging, offering curmudgeonly humorous observations.  He especially loved music – the louder, the better.

Chris was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, to Vernon and Charlotte Baker.  He attended school in Fanwood and Scotch Plains and graduated from Brown University, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.   He spent his business career in the telecommunications industry, starting at Bell Labs as an engineer who worked on the pioneering electronic switching system, the computer technology that eventually replaced the old electromechanical technology of the Bell system.   He went on to hold management positions at AT&T and Lucent Technologies.

Chris met his beloved wife, Janet Pechous, at Bell Labs.  They married in 1982 and settled in Madison, New Jersey, and enjoyed spending time with their many close and wonderful friends.    Predeceased by Jan by about a year, he is survived by his brother Wallace and wife Mary Ellen of Wilton, CT; his sister Alison of Tenants Harbor, ME; and his sister Sarah and husband Everett of Stoneham, MA; niece Emily Spence and nephews Randall Spence, Benjamin Allen and Nicholas Allen; and his many, many good friends for whom we are grateful beyond measure.

A graveside celebration of his life is planned for summer 2026 in Chris’ beloved Tenants Harbor, Maine.

Arrangements were under the care of Burroughs, Kohr & Dangler Funeral Home, Madison, NJ.