Mary Baker Roden

Mary Baker Roden was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and gave her life to Christ early as a child at Sweet Home Methodist Church of Gadsden, AL, and was known for her benevolent spirit to all who crossed her path. She loved helping others the best way she could and was an empath and cared about the world. Her life was dedicated to showing love and provision to her children, to give them the best life that she could provide, and her loyalty to them never moved. She attended the Gadsden city school systems up to the historic Carver High School of Tuscaloosa Avenue in Gadsden, AL. Shortly after high school, she became married to Bobbie Baker, Sr., of Gadsden, AL, and gave birth to her four children with him, in order, Angela Lee Baker, Bobby Baker, Jr., Cheryl LaShawn Baker, and DeJuan Paublo Baker.

Before and after that period, she grew up with a host of family members and friends, including being the big sister to Linda Jean Baker and Gloria Jean Whitehead, also of Gadsden, AL, and she worked at the Holy Name of Jesus Hospital (a.k.a. Riverview Hospital) for years and shared fond memories of her time working there with “the Sisters (nuns).” God and life continued to surprise her; she later remarried the late Ernest Guy Banks and gave birth to her last biological child, Brittany Latoya Baker. Mother Mary wanted better opportunities for her children and moved to Riverside, CA, with family, but missed her mother and moved back to Gadsden, AL, later on where she remained until her ascension to heaven. She was dedicated to her family, and she loved to read her Bible and pray her favorite prayers: the Lord’s Prayer, Psalms 121, 23, and 91,which she taught her children.

Her favorite pastimes to share with her children and family was hosting family dinners where she’d cook the best soul food you’d ever tasted; going out to eat at different restaurants including some of her favorites: Top o’ the River, Western Sizzlin’ (especially the one in Oxford, AL) Blue Fin, Pruett’s, and El Patron; shopping to her favorite stores; discovering new things; playing memory and history games; and watching her favorite TV shows such as Family Feud, House of Payne, In the Heat of the Night, and lots of movies. She loved her beauty products, makeup,
and fashion. She was so loving that she would give away her new clothes and items to her daughters, especially to Brittany. Some of her favorite songs that she loved to sing are “We Are One,” which she requested in her last days with us to be played at her memorial service and “Midnight Train to Georgia,” and “The Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me” by Gladys Knight because that was her girl as she would often say. She also loved music by The O’Jays, Tom Jones, Teddy Pendergrass, The Platters, Patsy Cline, The Temptations, Barry White, Stephanie Mills, Whitney
Houston, the DeBarge family, and Marvin Sapp, among many others. Once she discovered YouTube, that was all she needed! One of her favorite little sayings was, “I’ll be ready in 1, 2, 3,” and “put the ceiling fan on 1, 2, 3.”

Mary was a comedian and could make you laugh on your worst day, and it was always in the sweetest, most unexpected ways with her wittiness and unbelievable wisdom. God had his hands all over her life in all ways, even in the last two months of being a strong warrior in fighting against stage four pancreatic cancer. It was apparent that God never left her side because he preserved her until the very end. Heaven couldn’t wait for her! She was the bravest fighter that any of her family, nurses, or doctors ever saw, which inspired them. She and her dear mother shared
the special number 14 on their dates of birth, which also ended up being Mary’s date of ascension to heaven on May 14, 2025, in the comfort of her bed at her home surrounded by her children. Talk about God’s Perfect Timing. If love could have kept her alive, she would have never died. Cheers to a lifetime of a job well done, a life of goodness lived, and shared with all of us, Mary Baker Roden, until we meet again. I’ll always love you. We are one. To offer online condolences and view service details please view below. Professional service entrusted to: Prestige Memorial Funeral Home & Crematory.

Prestige Memorial, " Providing unto you a comforting ministry, for the sake of precious memories." (256)438-5506.
 

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