Jane Marie Baker Austin (6-2-23) service 6-5-23

Jane Marie Baker Austin, 90, of Savannah, passed away on Friday, June 2, to live forever with her Savior, Jesus Christ. She was born in McNairy County on Jan. 29, 1933, to E.M. and Myrtle Weatherford Baker.

On Feb. 2, 1951, she married Lloyd M. Austin and moved to Savannah. They were married for 43 years. After Lloyd’s death on Feb. 17, 1994, she continued to live on their farm in the Olivet Community.

On her eighty second birthday, she moved to Alcoa, Tennessee, to live out her remaining life with their only daughter, Patricia Ann Austin Anderson and be near her grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and her husband; she was preceded in death by her sisters, Virgie Harville, Earline Foster and Jessie Neill; and brothers, Junior Baker, Tom Baker, Joe Baker and George Paul Baker. She will be joining them for eternity.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Pat and David Anderson; her grandchildren, Amanda (Ken) Rollins and Elizabeth (David) McNeill of Knoxville, Tennessee; Susanna Waters (Brian) of Alcoa, Tennessee; David Anderson II (Autumn) of Maryville, Tennessee, and Sarah Cobb (David) of Bartlett, Tennessee, 10 great-grandchildren, Kathryn Celeste Rollins, Vince Hurst-Rollins (Natalie), Connor Rollins, Audrey Waters, Christopher Waters, Anna Kate Waters, Jacqueline Anderson, Oliver Anderson, Finn Anderson, and Benjamin Anderson, four siblings, David Baker (Barbara) of Michie, Tennessee; Fran Nelms (Tony) and Chloe Brassell (Jim) of Gallatin, Tennessee; and Ann Johnson (William) of Iuka, Mississippi. With the Baker Clan being such a close knit family, there is also a host of nieces and nephews, of whom she loved very dearly. She will be greatly missed by all who have survived her passing.

If you knew Jane Austin, you knew she was a Proverbs 31 Southern lady. She wore many hats, but most of all she was clothed in the armor of God, a Christian since her childhood. She loved being a wife and mother. Even though she only had one biological child, Patricia, she was a foster mother to some 38 children over a fifteen year period. The family received their first children when Patricia was finishing her junior year in high school. The Austins took pride in teaching and training the children as their own. She would make the girls’ clothes and as they got older, she would teach them to sew. Some of these girls still tell stories how they had to take out the seams and “do it right.” Gardening, harvesting, canning and freezing was always a spring and summer activity that increased in size as the family “grew.” The rewards were abundant and enjoyed by family, friends, and neighbors. The children learned these skills as well. Each child had a very special place in her heart and they all knew it.

Memorial services were held on Monday, June 5, at Shackelford Funeral Directors in Savannah, with Scotty Neill officiating. Burial followed at Neill Cemetery in Savannah.

Memorial donations may be made to Isaiah 117 House for Foster Children in Knoxville, Tennessee.