Loretta Baker

Loretta‬‭ Ellen‬‭ Moore‬‭ Baker‬‭ was‬‭ born‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ union‬‭ of‬‭ Jessie‬‭ C.‬‭ Moore‬‭ and‬‭ India‬‭ Green‬‭ Moore‬‭ on‬‭ March‬‭ 2,‬‭ 1936‬‭ in‬‭ Cincinnati,‬‭ OH.‬‭ She‬‭ grew‬‭ up‬‭ in‬ Attalla,‬‭ AL‬‭ and‬‭ attended‬‭ Attalla‬‭ City‬‭ Schools‬‭ and‬‭ graduated‬‭ from‬‭ Norris‬ High‬‭ School‬‭ in‬‭ 1954.‬‭ When‬‭ Loretta‬‭ was‬‭ seven‬‭ years‬‭ old,‬‭ India‬‭ Moore‬ married‬‭ Arthur‬‭ Scissum‬‭ and‬‭ he‬‭ lovingly‬‭ raised‬‭ her‬‭ as‬‭ his‬‭ own.‬‭ Through‬‭ this‬ blended‬‭ family,‬‭ Loretta‬‭ gained‬‭ five‬‭ brothers‬‭ and‬‭ three‬‭ sisters.‬‭ As‬‭ the‬‭ family‬ continued‬‭ to‬‭ grow,‬‭ Loretta‬‭ embraced‬‭ her‬‭ new‬‭ role‬‭ as‬‭ the‬‭ big‬‭ sister‬‭ to‬‭ three‬ younger brothers, a position she held with pride and affection.‬

At‬‭ an‬‭ early‬‭ age‬‭ Loretta‬‭ confessed‬‭ her‬‭ life‬‭ to‬‭ Christ‬‭ as‬‭ her‬‭ Lord‬‭ and‬‭ Savior‬ at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, where she was baptized.‬

Loretta‬‭ attended‬‭ Attalla‬‭ City‬‭ Schools‬‭ and‬‭ graduated‬‭ from‬‭ Norris‬‭ High‬ School‬‭ in‬‭ 1954.‬‭ She‬‭ began‬‭ her‬‭ college‬‭ journey‬‭ at‬‭ Alabama‬‭ State‬ University.‬‭ During‬‭ this‬‭ time,‬‭ she‬‭ returned‬‭ home‬‭ briefly‬‭ to‬‭ care‬‭ for‬‭ her‬ mother,‬‭ who‬‭ had‬‭ become‬‭ ill.‬‭ In‬‭ 1957,‬‭ Loretta‬‭ enrolled‬‭ at‬‭ Tennessee‬‭ State‬ University,‬‭ Nashville,‬‭ Tennessee.‬‭ She‬‭ majored‬‭ in‬‭ Elementary‬‭ Music‬ Education‬‭ with‬‭ a‬‭ minor‬‭ in‬‭ English‬‭ and‬‭ Special‬‭ Education,‬‭ also‬‭ earned‬ hours‬‭ toward‬‭ her‬‭ master's‬‭ degree.‬‭ While‬‭ attending‬‭ Tennessee‬‭ State‬ University,‬‭ she‬‭ was‬‭ a‬‭ proud‬‭ member‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ University‬‭ Chorus‬‭ Choir‬‭ and‬ cherished‬‭ the‬‭ experience‬‭ of‬‭ being‬‭ roommates‬‭ with‬‭ Wilma‬‭ Rudolph‬‭ before‬ Wilma‬‭ moved‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ Athletic‬‭ dorm.‬‭ She‬‭ graduated‬‭ in‬‭ 1963‬‭ and‬‭ returned‬ home to Attalla, Alabama, to begin her teaching career.‬

Loretta’s‬‭ first‬‭ teaching‬‭ position‬‭ was‬‭ at‬‭ Carver‬‭ High‬‭ School.‬‭ It‬‭ was‬‭ during‬ this‬‭ time‬‭ that‬‭ she‬‭ met‬‭ the‬‭ love‬‭ of‬‭ her‬‭ life,‬‭ George‬‭ Edward‬‭ Baker,‬‭ whom‬‭ she‬ married‬‭ in‬‭ 1966.‬‭ George‬‭ and‬‭ Loretta‬‭ were‬‭ married‬‭ for‬‭ 58‬‭ years.‬‭ After‬‭ that‬ year,‬‭ she‬‭ returned‬‭ to‬‭ her‬‭ alma‬‭ mater,‬‭ Norris‬‭ High‬‭ School,‬‭ which‬‭ covered‬ grades‬‭ 1-12.‬‭ She‬‭ taught‬‭ 2nd‬‭ grade.‬‭ Loretta‬‭ remained‬‭ at‬‭ Norris‬‭ until‬‭ the‬ school’s closing due to segregation and the beginning of integration.‬

After‬‭ Norris‬‭ closed,‬‭ Loretta‬‭ taught‬‭ at‬‭ several‬‭ schools‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ area,‬‭ including‬ Attalla‬‭ Elementary,‬‭ Alma‬‭ Hinson,‬‭ Dwight/Elliott‬‭ Elementary,‬‭ Wagner,‬‭ and‬ Randolph‬‭ Park‬‭ in‬‭ Anniston,‬‭ Alabama.‬‭ In‬‭ 1976,‬‭ she‬‭ became‬‭ an‬‭ area‬ substitute‬‭ teacher,‬‭ serving‬‭ schools‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ Attalla‬‭ and‬‭ Gadsden‬‭ Schools.‬ Throughout‬‭ this‬‭ time,‬‭ she‬‭ remained‬‭ committed‬‭ to‬‭ Special‬‭ Education‬ programs,‬‭ working‬‭ at‬‭ Litchfield,‬‭ Emma‬‭ Sansom,‬‭ Adams,‬‭ Walnut‬‭ Park,‬‭ and‬ Thompson‬‭ schools‬‭ in‬‭ Gadsden.‬‭ Loretta‬‭ officially‬‭ retired‬‭ in‬‭ 2006.‬‭ However, due‬‭ to‬‭ her‬‭ love‬‭ for‬‭ children‬‭ she‬‭ returned‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ school‬‭ system‬‭ as‬‭ an‬‭ area‬ wide substitute teacher until 2018.‬

Loretta‬‭ also‬‭ worked‬‭ diligently‬‭ during‬‭ the‬‭ summer‬‭ months.‬‭ She‬‭ contributed‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ Head‬‭ Start‬‭ Program‬‭ in‬‭ Attalla‬‭ under‬‭ the‬‭ leadership‬‭ of‬‭ Rev.‬‭ Joseph‬ Rowser,‬‭ as‬‭ well‬‭ as‬‭ the‬‭ Head‬‭ Start‬‭ Program‬‭ in‬‭ Sylacauga,‬‭ Alabama,‬‭ where‬ she‬‭ resided‬‭ with‬‭ her‬‭ older‬‭ brother,‬‭ Haywood‬‭ Scissum,‬‭ and‬‭ his‬‭ family.‬ Additionally,‬‭ she‬‭ served‬‭ for‬‭ many‬‭ years‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ Summer‬‭ Enrichment‬ Program under Dr. Gertie Lowe.‬

As‬‭ a‬‭ musician,‬‭ Loretta‬‭ played‬‭ the‬‭ piano‬‭ for‬‭ three‬‭ local‬‭ churches—Mt.‬‭ Zion‬ Baptist‬‭ Church‬‭ in‬‭ Attalla,‬‭ First‬‭ Baptist‬‭ Church‬‭ in‬‭ East‬‭ Gadsden,‬‭ and‬‭ Galilee‬ Baptist‬‭ Church‬‭ in‬‭ Gadsden.‬‭ She‬‭ also‬‭ dedicated‬‭ time‬‭ to‬‭ tutoring‬‭ children‬‭ in‬ academics‬‭ and‬‭ music,‬‭ sharing‬‭ her‬‭ passion‬‭ for‬‭ learning‬‭ and‬‭ her‬‭ love‬‭ for‬ working with young people.‬

With‬‭ a‬‭ career‬‭ spanning‬‭ over‬‭ 40‬‭ years,‬‭ Loretta‬‭ finally‬‭ decided‬‭ to‬‭ slow‬‭ down‬ and‬‭ stop‬‭ working‬‭ in‬‭ 2018.‬‭ Even‬‭ outside‬‭ of‬‭ her‬‭ professional‬‭ roles,‬‭ she‬ remained‬‭ active‬‭ and‬‭ engaged‬‭ in‬‭ her‬‭ community.‬‭ Loretta’s‬‭ hobbies‬‭ included‬ working‬‭ with‬‭ children‬‭ through‬‭ tutoring‬‭ and‬‭ summer‬‭ enrichment‬‭ programs,‬ tending‬‭ to‬‭ flowers,‬‭ cooking,‬‭ and‬‭ serving‬‭ as‬‭ a‬‭ missionary‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ church.‬‭ She‬ was‬‭ known‬‭ for‬‭ her‬‭ friendly‬‭ and‬‭ bubbly‬‭ personality,‬‭ and‬‭ brought‬‭ joy‬‭ and‬ warmth to everyone she encountered.‬

Loretta‬‭ was‬‭ preceded‬‭ in‬‭ death‬‭ by‬‭ her‬‭ parents‬‭ Arthur‬‭ and‬‭ India‬‭ Scissum‬ and‬‭ Jessie‬‭ Moore:‬‭ three‬‭ sisters,‬‭ Annie‬‭ Joe‬‭ Treadwell,‬‭ Midren‬‭ Scissum‬ Duckett,‬‭ and‬‭ Bennett‬‭ Scissum‬‭ Muse:‬‭ seven‬‭ brothers,‬‭ Arthur‬‭ Scissum‬‭ Jr.,‬‭ Artimus‬‭ Scissum,‬‭ Haywood‬‭ Scissum,‬‭ Adolph‬‭ Scissum,‬‭ James‬‭ Scissum,‭ Willard “Maurice” Scissum, and Kenneth Scissum.‬

She‬‭ leaves‬‭ to‬‭ cherish‬‭ her‬‭ loving‬‭ memories‬‭ and‬‭ legacy‬‭ to‬‭ a‬‭ loving‬‭ and‬ devoted‬‭ husband,‬‭ George‬‭ E.‬‭ Baker;‬‭ a‬‭ cherished‬‭ and‬‭ devoted‬‭ daughter,‬ Cheneda‬‭ Baker;‬‭ a‬‭ loving‬‭ grandson‬‭ who‬‭ was‬‭ like‬‭ a‬‭ son,‬‭ Brandon‬‭ Baker;‬‭ a‬ precious, loving great grandson, Brandon Baker Jr.; bonus‬‭ Daughter,‬‭ LaSonya‬‭ White;‬‭ loving‬‭ brother,‬‭ John‬‭ (Mary)‬‭ Scissum;‬ Sisters-in-law,‬‭ Deborah‬‭ Jenkins‬‭ Scissum,‬‭ Mattie‬‭ Scissum,‬‭ Jeanette‭ Scissum‬‭ Mickens,‬‭ and‬‭ Gayle‬‭ Scissum;‬‭ Brothers‬‭ in‬‭ law,‬‭ Paul‬‭ (Doris)‬‭ Baker;‬ Larry‬‭ (Diane)‬‭ Baker;‬‭ Bobby‬‭ (Gloria)‬‭ Baker;‬‭ Jimmy‬‭ and‬‭ Ricky‬‭ Baker;‬ Special‬‭ nieces‬‭ and‬‭ nephews,‬‭ Sandra‬‭ Graham,‬‭ Dianne‬‭ Treadwell,‬‭ Madge‬ Freeman,‬‭ Nona‬‭ Rogers‬‭ and‬‭ Danny‬‭ Treadwell;‬‭ and‬‭ numerous‬‭ nieces,‬ nephews, cousins, other loving relatives and friends.

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