Marion O’Larry Baker entered into a peaceful rest on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, and is now present with the Lord. A Home-going Celebration will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, at
Cooks and Cooper Funeral Home, located at 162 SW Third Avenue, in Madison. Viewing will be prior to the service, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Chapel. Interment will be at Oakridge Cemetery, in Madison, near his beloved mother and other cherished family members. In his honor, a 
garden of Peace Lilies will be planted at a special site by Rhoda and Vilmore Shirley in Alachua County, Fl. Contact Funeral Associates regarding floral contributions to the Garden.
Marion was born on May 25, 1942, the son of John Baker, of Madison, and Wynemia Elouise and Isaac Siplin, of Tampa.
Mr. Baker was educated in the elementary and secondary schools of Hillsborough County, Fl., and graduated with musical honors from Howard W. Blake Senior High School. He attended Dillard University in New Orleans, La. and graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio with a Bachelor Degree in Music Education. Post-graduate studies for the Master of Education were completed at Lawrence University. During his university matriculation. Mr. Baker was a featured vocalist, pianist, student music director, and conductor. Marion was employed for 43 years with the Fall River Public Schools, Fall River, Ma.
From childhood, music was his source of special communication and motivation. Endowed with the gift of song and harmonious interpretation, he studied all genres of music. He lived with a lifelong certainty that music was, for him, a purposeful calling. Receiving Christ at an early age, he declared his profession of faith and united with Greater Bethel Baptist Church, in Tampa. For the remainder of his life, Mr. Baker served faithfully in churches within the communities in which he lived.
For more than four decades as a music teacher, he devoted himself primarily to sharing the discipline, influence, and promise of music with his cherished colleagues and students. In the later part of his life, Mr. Baker succumbed to poor health, which required special medical care. Nevertheless, his appreciation for the universal language of music, and dedication to his students, was never diminished. Throughout his professional career and life, he fervently supported the precept that the study of music greatly enhanced humanity and provided pathways to learning for all students.
Mr. Baker especially loved sharing music that fostered a faithful and communal relationship with God. Through leadership efforts with community and church choirs, his vocation and Divine mission was achieved. Now having completed the Full Score of his life, he ascended to a Heavenly Chorus to make a joyful noise evermore, unto the Lord, on Wednesday, April 19, and is now present with the Lord. Marion will also join with his parents: John Baker, Wynemia Elouise Siplin and Isaac Siplin; bother, Harold D. Wright, of Tallahassee; stepbrothers, Troy, of Jacksonville, Reed, Isaac, Willie (Emma), and Wallace (Mildred), of Tampa, John Siplin, of Bradenton; stepsisters, Nancy and Agnes Siplin, of Bradenton, and Willie Mae Jenkins, of Miami; nephews Sol Jenkins, of Miami, and Carlton Keith Siplin, of Tampa. He had a Heavenly Host of other adored witnesses.
Rejoicing in his purposeful life are sisters Rhoda O. Shirley (Vilmore E. Shirley) of Gainesville, Fl., sister-in-law Rita J. Lovitt, of Tampa; nephews Michael D. Wright, Sr., of St. Petersburg; Gregory C. Wright, of Tampa, and Christopher J. Wright, of Tallahassee; aunt Cora Fleming and cousins Clyde Fleming, of Miami, and Dr. Lannie Pryor Brown, of Snellville, Ga.; David Pryor (Macy), of Nashville, Tn., Dr. Wanda Wilson, of Charlotte, Nc.; Joyce Ann Wright-Wilson (Rev. Ralph Wilson), of Madison; nieces Rosa Lee Ryles, of Miami, Maxine Alston, and Agnes Knight, of Bradenton, Dr. Joretha McCall Capers, of Ormond Beach, Dr. Cedrita Siplin Reid, of Powder Springs, Ga., Vanessa Siplin Williams, of Tampa; and nephews, Pastor Rodney Siplin and Anthony (Brenda) Siplin, of Tampa; brother and sister-in-law, Roderick and Elsie Shirley, of Tampa, sister-in-law, Sherry (Michael) Case, of Royal Palm Beach, Fl.; nieces, Nicole Dionne Pugh, of Philadelphia, Pa., Lora (Ovid) Valentin; grand-nieces, Gia Loren, Lexi Leighton Valentin; grand-nephew, Kash Everett Valentin, of Oak Brook, Il.; Christian brother, Joseph Dias, Jr., of Warren, RI; Christian sister, Felicia Evans, of Tampa; and many other loving family members, friends, students, and Christians brothers and sisters.