Reverend Marvin W. Baker

Reverend Marvin W. Baker Marvin W. Baker, 94, our beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother, passed away peacefully at his home on May 8, 2017, following an illness of seven months. Born on July 1, 1922, to Earl and Daisy Scruggs Baker, he was raised on a farm near French Lick, Indiana. He felt the call to ministry at a young age and preached his first sermon as a teenager at Mount Lebanon Church. He graduated from French Lick High School in 1941. He was encouraged to attend Anderson College by a Church of God evangelist who led a revival at his church. While attending Anderson College, he met the love of his life, Faye Davidson. They were married on September 5, 1943, at Park Place Church of God with the late Dr. Adam W. Miller officiating. Upon graduating from Anderson College in 1945, Marvin was ordained to the ministry and later received his Master’s Degree from the Anderson School of Theology after studying at Garrett, Mennonite, and Winona Lake. He served as pastor of the Churches of God in Reedsburg, WI; Racine, WI; Mishawaka, IN; North Anderson Church, IN; Wichita, KS; Canton, OH; and Maple Grove in Anderson. He also served four years as Associate State Minister in the Church of God in Indiana. Marvin served thirty years as a member of the Anderson University Board of Trustees, and upon his retirement, he was named Trustee Emeritus. Throughout his ministry, he was active in national, state, and community leadership. Locally, he had been president of the Madison County Ministerial Association and a member of St. John’s Hospice Home Health Care and Hospice Advisory Board. He had also been president of the Anderson College Alumni Association and a member of the Commission on Higher Education of the Church of God. He was the recipient of the 1976 Anderson School of Theology’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. Marvin served 44 years in full-time ministry. After his official retirement, he served Indiana churches as interim pastor in Noblesville, Connersville, Alexandria, Greenfield, and Lafayette. In more recent years, he held a staff position with the Brown-Butz-Diedring Funeral Home as After-care Representative. He demonstrated his love for Christ by interacting with love and caring for others. He was the perfect example of pure love and genuine kindness. He was truly one of a kind and had a positive impact on everyone he met. His influence on this world was huge. Even in retirement and in his final days, he never stopped caring for and ministering to everyone he came in contact with. He was a very special man. Marvin and Faye raised three daughters: Judith (Ronald) Matas of Anderson; Janet (Steve) Stull of Anderson; and Jeanne (Rick) Schmidt of Massillon, OH. They loved their nine grandchildren, all of whom graduated from Anderson University: James (Alessandra) Matas, Andrew (Amy) Matas, Sarah Matas; Stephen (Laura) Stull, Rachel Stull, Shannon (Chris) Hunt; Jennifer (Jonathan) Holloway, Adam (Bekkah) Schmidt, and Brandon Schmidt. Also surviving are twelve great-grandchildren: Jonah, Benjamin, and Levi Matas; Giuliana Matas; Simon and Elaina Stull; Miles Hunt; Makenna, Camden, and Adalyn Holloway; Evan and Leah Schmidt; and a thirteenth great-grandchild expected in August. Marvin is survived by two sisters, Joyce Collins and Anita Roach of French Lick, and one brother, Edgar, of Bedford. Marvin was preceded in death by Faye, his wife of 67 years; his three brothers: Danny, Kenneth, and Robert Baker; three sisters: Marian White, Grace Flick, and Adria Zea; and great-granddaughter Avery Holloway. Visitation will be Friday, May 12 from 2-4 P.M. and 6-8 P.M. at Brown-Butz-Diedring Funeral Service & Crematory and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 13 at 11:00 am at Madison Park Church of God’s Scatterfield Ministry Center, 2604 N. Scatterfield Rd., with Rev. Tom Malbone officiating. Graveside services will follow at East Maplewood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Madison Park Church of God Building Fund.