B. Mitchell Baker

B. Mitchell Baker, 72, of Annapolis, Maryland, died unexpectedly of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) on December 20, 2020, at Anne Arundel Medical Center. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 31, 1948, the younger of two children born to Charles and Lillian Baker. He is survived by his beloved wife Ann, his son Seth of Brooklyn, NY, his daughter Sarah of Berkeley, CA, and his sister Ellen McDonald and her husband Brian.

Mitch was born in Brooklyn but moved to Massapequa, Long Island, at an early age, where he was raised and graduated high school. He received his B.A. in Physics at Brandeis University in 1969, and earned his Ph.D. in Mathematical Physics at the University of Pennsylvania in 1975. After teaching mathematics at SUNY Buffalo from 1978 to 1987, he joined the Department of Mathematics at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987. For 34 years, he diligently contributed to all aspects of scholarly life at the Academy: he taught every course in the catalog, he advised students in advanced undergraduate research, and he shared generously with his colleagues in faculty seminars. He was also a formidable researcher in his own right, making significant contributions at the interface of operator algebras and quantum mechanics.

Beyond his work, Mitch demonstrated a deep dedication to family throughout his life. One of his proudest accomplishments was sponsoring the emigration of his mother’s cousin, Fanya Zalan, and her family from Kiev, Ukraine, in 1991 through the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS). A lifelong tennis player, he learned the sport from his father and passed it on to his wife and children. Mitch cultivated rich, lifelong friendships with colleagues and teammates which he cherished through his last days.

A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. Donations in his memory may be made to HIAS, the American Mathematical Society’s Birman Fellowship for Women Scholars, or the Tennis Alliance of Anne Arundel County.