Judge Joseph Pedrick Baker, 89, Orlando native, son of Judge John George and Jesse Pedrick Baker, passed away January 25, 2026. Joe was a graduate of Swarthmore College and the University of Michigan Law School. He returned to Orlando and practiced law for 15 years before he was appointed Circuit Judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida where he served for 25 years until he retired.

Joe continued to pursue intellectual subjects at different universities throughout his life. He commuted to the University of Florida for classes in ancient Greek and wrote a play on an Aristophanes comedy. He later completed courses of interest at both the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida.

Joe's colleagues frequently referred to him as one of the intellectuals on the Bench; His Opinion articles were often published. One of Joe's interests was learning the Chinese language. While living in Winter Park, he became acquainted with a Chinese gentleman working as an assistant at Rollins College. Joe invited this gentleman to live in his spare guest bedroom near campus until he returned to China. The two men conversed in Chinese and Joe was able to advance his efforts to speak the language. A year later his friend made arrangements for Joe to talk with teachers and students at Wuhan University and attend court cases in Wuhan. Joe took this opportunity to travel around China on his bicycle.

For many years he was an enthusiastic cyclist, and he maintained this pleasure throughout his eighties by exercise- biking with friends at the YMCA. In retirement he was a member of the Old Timers Club, an active volunteer at Dignity, and a pro bono legal lawyer for students at UCF.

Joe was predeceased by his parents and his brother attorney John Alden Baker. He is survived by his sister Jean Baker Werth, wife Elizabeth Murphy, two children by his first wife Dr. Marion Hale Baker, daughter Martha Baker Whitty and son Dr. August Joseph Baker (Dr. Caroline Apovian), stepson Grant Lee Murphy (Ashley), Baker grandchildren Emma, Helen, John, Phillip and Murphy grandchildren Olivia, Owen.