J. David Baker

TUPELO – Legendary Tupelo citizen, J. David Baker, 93, died at his residence in downtown Tupelo at 7:40 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016, after a brief illness. David was born in New Albany, Union County, on March 6, 1922. His parents were the late Walter Henderson Baker of New Albany and Lucille Holland Baker of the Alpine Community. Two infant siblings preceded him in death and he was the last member of his immediate family. J. David graduated from Tupelo High School and received his bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University. He later was accepted and graduated from the prestigious Memphis College of Art. David worked with his parents at W. H. Baker Furniture Store until their deaths. He and his business associate, Ross Rainer, opened one of Tupelo's original interior designer firms and were sought far and wide for their fanciful work. The last 20 years, he has been employed in the Lee County Circuit Clerks office as an office assistant, a position he thoroughly enjoyed. He owned numerous rental properties. J. David always loved music and the arts and was a longtime supporter of the Tupelo Concert Association, the Tupelo Symphony Orchestra, The Tupelo Ballet and Tupelo Community Theatre. He actively participated as a ticket taker and had performed other voluntary roles with these organizations. He was a staunch supporter of the Lee County Library and all its missions. He revered reading and sculpting. His home was a haven for art, sculpture, music and countless classic and general reading books as well as a magnet for entertaining his Tupelo friends and a wide circle of associates throughout the country over the last six decades. David was quite a dancer in his day especially ballroom dancing. A world traveler, he and his friends also enjoyed New Orleans over the years as well as Florida beaches. David sported around town for the last 40 years in his trademark Green Convertible Cadillac. A classic historian and accomplished genealogist, David helped author the Tupelo Area Picture Postcard Book. He was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church in Tupelo.
A service celebrating his life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, at the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors with friends sharing their stories of David. Private burial will be in the Baker family plot at Glenwood Cemetery. Holland Funeral Directors/Cremations is honored to be handling their friend's arrangements.
J. David is survived by friends everywhere and his caregivers in recent years: Chris Grimes, Cindy DePoyster, Connie Wood and Jean Robinson.
Honorary pallbearers will be his fellow Postcard Book Committee: Boyd Yarbrough, Mem Leake, Bill Lyle, Julian Riley and his longtime friend, Dan Brown.
Memorials are suggested to be made to the Lee County Library, 219 North Madison, Tupelo, MS. 38804.