The Ven. J. Stannard “Stan” Baker, archdeacon and chaplain to retired clergy, died on June 24. He was 79 years old and his death was quite sudden. He is survived by his husband Peter Harrigan.
Planning for a thanksgiving of life is underway, and details will be made available at a later date.
Stan was ordained to the diaconate in 2009 by the Rt. Rev. Thomas Ely and was assigned to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. This followed internships at Christ Church, Montpelier; Calvary, Underhill; and serving as a chaplain at Fletcher Allan hospital.
Stan was appointed archdeacon in 2021 and served our diocese in a number of ways throughout his ministry. He was a member of the Commission on Ministry, the Standing Committee, the Resolutions Committee, a Safe Church coordinator, our chaplain to retired clergy, and a five time deputy to General Convention.
“Stan was an important and historic member of our diocesan household and the state of Vermont,” said Bishop Shannon. “I will always value his contributions to our shared vision and mission. Both in his secular work as a psychotherapist and in his ordained ministry, he brought his insights and sensibilities about people to the forefront of the discussion. His support and advocacy for our clergy both active and retired will surely be missed.”
“I could always count on him to help bring folks together and I am deeply grateful for his ministry in our diocese,” she added.
His ministry extended through the wider church. He chaired the House of Deputies’ 2024 General Convention legislative committee on Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music. From 2016 to 2018, he was a member of the Task Force on the Study of Marriage, and he also served on the 2015 General Convention Special Legislative Committee on Marriage.
Stan reflected on his experiences at the 2024 General Convention in story published in The Mountain last summer.
He also served on Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music and was elected to Executive Council at the 2024 General Convention.
“All of us at Executive Council are grieving today with the loss of our friend and colleague,” said Julia Ayala Harris, president of the House of Deputies. “In every room Stan entered—in committee work, in legislative halls, and in the vulnerable spaces of truth-telling, Stan led with deep care, humility, and fierce love. His advocacy for LGBTQ+ justice and his work to bring healing to survivors of sexual harassment and abuse have made our common life more honest and more whole. I am deeply grateful for his friendship — and for his vision of and hope for what we as a church can become.”
In addition to his ordained ministry, Stan was a licensed psychotherapist working with the private practice he co-founded, BTR Psychotherapy. He also previously worked as Mental Health Director for the Counseling Service of Addison County and as the Clinical Director for Howard Center Developmental Services.
Stan was born in 1946 and was raised a Quaker. He was the lead plaintiff in Baker v. Vermont, the case in which the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to the benefits and protections of marriage. Vermont was the first state to extend such benefits and protections.
He joined our diocesan household in 1999 amidst the legal battle and after attending one service at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. “We knew it was the right place for us – we felt supported and surrounded by friends,” Stan wrote for his biography on the Cathedral’s website.
Chancellor Tom Little, who helped to guide the civil union law through the legislature, told Episcopal News Service, “I never met someone with the compassion, overarching sense of humanity and ability to connect with people who needed his care and love.”
Stan and his husband Peter Harrigan married in 2010 and were approaching the 25th anniversary of their civil union. In his free time, Stan enjoyed music and could play the cello and guitar. He loved to read and collected nativities, fountain pens, and books.
O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of your servant Stannard and grant him an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Images: Baker, source Facebook; Baker with the Rev. Lee Crawford and Tom Little at the 2024 General Convention.
