Extracted from The Alexandria Daily Town Talk (Alexandria, LA)
Sunday, February 24, 2002

Mary Florence Parker Baker

Mary Florence Parker Baker, owner and officer of Baker Manufacturing Co., Inc., of Pineville died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2002, in Rapides Regional Medical Center. She was 82.

She was an active member of the civic community. She held positions with Kent House, YWCA, Alexandria Museum of Art, the Red Cross and the Arts and Humanities Council of Central Louisiana.

She held state and regional council offices of Epislon Sigma Alpha sorority.

She was a member of First Baptist Church of Pineville. She volunteered as a ``Pink Lady'' at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in earlier years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence G. and Florence Elizabeth Sudduth Parker and one brother, Jack Parker.

She is survived by her husband, James Russell Baker Sr. of Pineville one son, James Russell Baker Jr. of Pineville two daughters, Diana Lynn Baker of Pineville and Sharon Baker White of Memphis, Tenn. one brother, Clarence B. Parker of Pineville three sisters, Gloria Harison of Pensacola, Fla., Becky Jones of Yazoo, Miss., and Betty Matthews of Pineville nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. today in First Baptist Church of Pineville, Main Street, with Dr. Gary Baldwin officiating. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Ruby, under direction of Hixson Brothers, Pineville.

Pallbearers will be Mike Matthews, Scott Matthews, Frank ``Jay'' White, Blake White, Russell Baker, Richard Swain and Taylor Yost Jr.

Friends may call from 8 a.m. until noon today in the funeral home and from 1 p.m. until time of services in the church.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Pineville, 901 Main Street, Pineville, LA 71360, or Louisiana College, Office of Development, P.O. Box 587, College Station, Pineville, LA 71359, or to the Foundation for Retinal Research, 3525 Prytania Street, New Orleans, LA 70115.