Brian Jeffrey Baker

Brian Jeffrey Baker, 44, passed away on August 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Brian was the son of Steven and Nancy Baker. He attended Shawnee Mission East High School where he participated in soccer, swimming, Chamber Singers, Jazz choir, and school musicals. Brian attended Kansas University and received a degree in English Literature and East Asian Languages and Cultures. After graduating from KU, he received his Juris Doctor degree from New York University and his MBA from INSEAD in Singapore. He worked in Wuhan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, Japan.

Brian had a deep interest in books. He was reading even before he started kindergarten. Due to his wide range of interests, he read books on any and all subjects. He also collected old books.

Brian had a genuine love of people. He enjoyed talking to people of all ages. Beyond the love of talking to people, he was a wonderful listener. He could make a person feel that they were the most important person in the room with his listening skills.

At a very early age, Brian displayed his love of travel. Besides going to Disney World and Hawaii with his grandma, he went on family trips to San Francisco, New Orleans, Washington DC, Chicago, Nassau and two Caribbean cruises. He visited London, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Viet Nam, Cambodia and Indonesia. Even though his love of travel and of the Asian culture took him overseas to work, Brian kept Kansas near and dear to his heart. He frequently wore Kansas t-shirts and had a Kansas flag to decorate his apartments.

Brain is preceded in death by his father, Steven, his grandparents, James and DeLores Baker, and Joanne Bolling. He is survived by his mother, Nancy Baker, his sister Shelly Maloney and husband Michael, his nieces and nephews, Ella, Liam, Grace and Charlotte. He is also survived by his aunts Debbie, Lynda, Loralee, his uncle JD, and his cousins Luke, Keene, Erika, Cole, Nick, Chris and Taylor.

He leaves behind dear friends all over the world. Those who knew him will miss his kind heart, keen sense of humor, wealth of knowledge and his bear hugs.

There will be a private service at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas and a private burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Church of the Resurrection Leawood, 13720 Roe Ave., Leawood, Kansas 66224.