Gordon Newton Baker, a beloved husband and friend, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at home. He was 70 years old. 

Gordon Baker was known as a champion for libraries and for his unwavering love and dedication to his family and friends. He is survived by his spouse, Dr. Tom Lewis and stepson, Cooper Lewis. Gordon is predeceased by his parents, Mary N. Baker and Dr. Howard F. Baker, both career educators and his brother, Howard F. Baker, Jr. 

Born on June 30, 1954, in Atlanta, Georgia, Gordon was a native of Henry County, attended Henry County public schools and graduated from Stockbridge High School in 1971. Gordon’s passion for education was set by his parents’ examples. His mother, Mary, was a classroom teacher for 30 years and his father, Howard, worked in education for over 34 years serving as a teacher, principal and superintendent.  

Gordon graduated from Clayton Junior College (now Clayton State University) in 1973 with an Associate of Arts in Education.  He completed his undergraduate studies at Valdosta State University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a minor in Library Science in 1975.  He received both a Master of Science in Library Service (1978) and Specialist of Library Service (1981) from Clark Atlanta University.  He received his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in 1997. 

He began his career in education in Spalding County as a teacher and assistant librarian at Beaverbrook Elementary School in Griffin.  He served as an elementary teacher at Morrow Elementary School and then library media specialist at Kilpatrick Elementary School in Clayton County.  In 1983, he was appointed as the media specialist for the newly established Edwin Kemp Elementary School in Clayton County.   This was the first school in Clayton County to pilot an automated (computerized) circulation system. Gordon was awarded Georgia’s Elementary School Media Specialist of the Year by the Georgia Library Association in 1986. 

In 1989, he became the library/media specialist at Henry County Junior High School in McDonough.  In 1989, Gordon was appointed as the library/media specialist at Eagle’s Landing High School in McDonough, which was the first new high school established in Henry County in 25 years.   He remained at ELHS for ten years, overseeing the school’s library/media program and implementing the new technologies in the building. In 2000, he was assigned the responsibility of inaugurating Union Grove High School.   In 2001 he became the Coordinator of Instructional Technology & Media Services for the Henry County School System, a role he held for two years before moving to Luella High School in 2003.   He retired from the Henry County School System on June 30, 2004. 

During his tenure with the Henry County Schools, he coordinated the Henry County Spelling Bee for over 10 years as well as the Henry County Student Media Festival for seven years. In addition Gordon assisted with the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl for many years and hosted it at Clayton State University during his tenure as Dean of the Library. 

Starting in 1979, Gordon worked part-time as a reference librarian at Clayton State University.  After retiring from Henry County in 2004, Baker assumed the role of Head of Public Services at the Clayton State Library.  In June 2006, he became Director of Libraries at Clayton State University and was promoted to Dean in 2010.   In May 2019, Gordon retired as Dean of Libraries at Clayton State University with 40 years of service to the University. He was the first person to have worked at Clayton State for 40 years. He has been given the title of Dean of Libraries, Emeritus.   

Gordon worked with the Georgia Student Media Festival since 1978.  In addition to serving as a system festival chair, he also served as district and state festival chair serving as the state chair five times. 

In addition to this work, Baker has served as state adviser of the Georgia Association of Media Assistants for approximately 25 years.  This association is composed of school library, media, and technology students in grades 5-12. 

Gordon is the only person to have served as president of each of the three library/media/technology associations in Georgia.  He served as president of the Georgia Library Media Association in 1982-83; the president of the Georgia Association for Instructional Technology in 1995; and the president of the Georgia Library Association during 2002-2003.  He has been recognized by each of these organizations with their highest awards:  Walter S. Bell Distinguished Service Award (GAIT); Juanita Skelton Distinguished Service Award (GAIT); GAIT Distinguished Service Award; William E. Patterson Award (GLMA), the Nix-Jones Award (GLA), and the Bob Richardson Award (GLA)  In 2002, he was recognized as the state Georgia Library Media Specialist of the Year Enabler by Georgia Library Media Specialist of the Year, Pam Nutt; and in 2005 by Henry County & South Metro District Winner, Suzanne Petersen. 

In addition to his work with public school libraries, Gordon served as a member of the Henry County Library System’s Board of Trustees serving as Board treasurer from 2000-2004 and chair of the Board of Trustees from 2005-2018. 

He held affiliations with Beta Phi Mu, International Library and Information Studies Honor Society, Gordon serving as National Director and as a Scholarship Committee Member. 

In 2019, Dr. Baker was recognized as the 2019 Georgia Public Library Champion of the Year by the Georgia Public Library Service.  According to Julie White Walker, The State Librarian of Georgia, the award “is presented to an outstanding advocate who is not employed by a public library, but whose support significantly raised the profile of libraries and improved services.” Dr. Baker has been described as “Mr. Library for the State of Georgia.  As a Trustee and board chair of the Henry County Public Library, he guided the board through tumultuous times with serious funding challenges.”   

He worked at the Clayton State Library full time for more than 15 years, most recently as the Dean of Libraries Emeritus.  He also served on the American Library Association’s United for Libraries Board of Directors, and as Chair of that Committee he introduced and interviewed Connie Chung at the ALA National Convention in 2024.   

Gordon has been a member of the Georgia Library Association since 1977 serving in many roles including most recently advisor to the president and historian.  He also held leadership positions with the Southeastern Library Association and Friends of Georgia Libraries.  He was recently honored by the Georgia Library Association with an honorary lifetime membership.  Even in retirement to Savannah, Dr. Baker held up his hand to volunteer to become a trustee at Live Oak Public Libraries, which he held until his death. 

A  “Celebration of Life” service will be held on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at 11 am at Asbury Memorial Church followed by luncheon in Holliday Social Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Gordon Newton Baker Memorial Fund at Asbury Memorial Church in Savannah, GA.