James Sutton Baker

Mr. James Sutton Baker
Columbus, MS

Mr. James Sutton Baker, 94, of Columbus, MS and formerly of Macon, MS.
died at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Columbus, MS on Tuesday August 10,
2010. Funeral services are planned for Saturday, August 14, 2010 at
11:00 a.m. at Independent Methodist Church in Macon, MS. Interment will
be in Oddfellows Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the
service on Saturday at the church. Memorials may be made to Independent
Methodist Church, P.O. Box 424, Macon, MS 39341 or Trinity Place, 300
Airline Rd, Columbus, MS 39702. Cockrell Funeral HOme of Macon is in
charge of arrangements.

Mr. Baker was born on September 27, 1915 in Abingdon, VA. To John Elemore Baker and Elizabeth Porter Baker. He moved with his parents and 9 siblings to Sumterville, AL in 1922. Mr. Baker served in the Air Force 353rd Fighter Group during WWII as a Staff Sergeant and crew chief maintaining P-51 Mustangs in Northern England. He was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for outstanding service.

After the war, he married his high school sweetheart, Mabel Davis in 1946 and moved to Macon, MS in 1947 to raise his family and started an antique furniture restoration business. He became a master craftsman and an expert in classifying antique furniture, recognized by dealers in MS and AL. He was a charter member of the Independent Methodist Church of Macon, and made all the sanctuary furniture for the church.

After his wife passed away, he moved to Trinity Place Independent Living in Columbus, where he attended Wesley Methodist Church. He embraced the opportunity to meet new friends and became a regular at their activities, including his favorite pastime of playing cards with his friends.

He was a quiet unassuming man of few words that loved his God, wife and family more than anything. He set an example for all to follow. He will be dearly missed.

Mr. Baker is survived by his daughter Phyllis Scruggs (Jim) of Senoia,
GA; son, J. Davis Baker (Kathy) of Columbus, MS; brother, Fred Baker
(Ann) of Cochrane, AL.; seven grandhchildren, Debra Baker Dye (Mark),
Dianne Baker Bond (Stephen), Chris Bowers, Scott Bowers, Brian D.
Mason, Julie Lynn Mason, and James William Scruggs, Jr.; and 5 great
grandchildren, Marshall Davis Dye, Cooper Rodgers Dye, Lillian
Elizabeth Dye, Emily Sutton Bond and Melissa Lynn Mason.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Mabel Davis Baker, sibilings,
Charlie Baker, Elizabeth Wiabel, Joe P. Baker, Billie W. Baker, Frances
Bassett, Kathryn Dunn, & Martha Dial.

Pallbearers will be Joe Baker, Jackie Baker, Johnny Baker, Joe Dan
Baker, Jarrett Baker, Troy Baker, Taft Baker, Jeff Gregg and Rusty
Gregg.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Davis, Alex Davis, Jimmy Bassett, Nick Hauser, and Jack Davis.