It's a Totally New Story: The Marian Louise Baker Only A Few Were Privileged To Know

Most people feel it's just an old, worn out cliche...."To know her is to love her."

In Marian Louise Baker's case, it was simply true.

The young woman was respected, admired, liked and loved by all who were lucky enough to know her.

Until the crime in 1950, Marian wasn't in the public spotlight. And once the murder hit the media, the true Marian was never shared with the public. The newspapers articles repeatedly called her pretty or lovely. They also dabbled in the salacious with comments about the murder occurring in a "Lovers Lane" setting.
They never intimated that Marian had a hand in her own death or that she had it coming, but the true essence of Marian was never researched or presented.
Yes, Gibbs was definitely the bad guy. He was never, ever referred to with any real sense of sympathy or understanding. He bashed the life out of a beautiful young woman, in broad daylight, for no good apparent reason. You can't defend that.
The newspapers played their role in allowing questions to arise and swirl as to why Marian was with Ed Gibbs the day he killed her.
Richard Gehman made it a three-pointer.
Maybe the rules were different back then. Authors today are held to a level of truth and research. There are always others out there "fact checking" to keep other authors legitimate.
Not the case with Gehman.
The main character in his book was Gibbs. Clearly.
But Gehman took liberties with Marian Baker's name and reputation.
And never once spoke directly with her family.
He made sure to mention any innuendo and questionable behavior or rumor about Marian, but only countered it with brief, obligatory rebuttal. A few sentences couldn't possibly balance the information. And they certainly didn't tell the truth.
To this day, Marian is remembered and loved. Those that love her have never come to grips with the injustice done to her not only by Gibbs but by Gehman as well.
The real Marian Baker was so much more than anyone ever knew.
She was indeed a simple country girl. But she was meticulous in her work, well thought of by her employers and she loved F & M. She was not simply a secretary. She had shown her mettle and her intelligence as well as her conscientous attention to detail and accuracy. And she was such a pleasant person to be around.
She had a shy smile but never spoke badly of anyone. She had her opinions as we all do but she knew how to control her words. She never intentionally hurt anyone. She had true class. And she was a lady.
The folks she worked with at F & M recognized the qualities that made Marian the lady that she was and they often asked her to participate in college activities. I will never be sure, given the horrible turn of events, but I believe that had Marian lived, she had the potential to spend many, many successful years at F & M. She did, indeed love the school and the school did love her.
My goal is to present the real Marian Baker.
Many who knew her are gone now.
But some do remain, and she deserves to be presented as she actually was.
Finally.
And it can stand as a record in history.
I do believe that she would appreciate that.
Many of you are following this journey along with me. It's much like peeling the layers of an onion.
For all my years of research into Marian and the murder, it's taken forty-one years for me to finally be able to know about Marian from sources that are real and accurate. I can't begin to accurately express my gratitude to those who love Marian so much to this day and who are sharing their memories with me.
You all are the last vestige of hope for any of us to know Marian.
My journey is posted here as I go. It's an ongoing work in progress. I will keep sharing as I go.
And when the time has come when I and those who love Marian feel that the story is as complete as it can ever be, my work will be organized, compiled and set forth in a complete, cohesive story about the life and love of Marian Louise Baker.
I can only wish to be as loved as she is tonight.
It makes me get very quiet realizing just how important she remains, how much a part of her family she is right at this moment.
There is a thread of DNA running through Marian's family that is unbroken and unaltered. And it is comprised of character and love. As I interact more with family and friends of hers, I'm impressed by the character of all involved.
I'll keep posting my journey in its unaltered state. When we're at the end of that road, it will all be a complete story. And it will be available to everyone.
I do need to say something about my comments about F & M.
I have had a problem understanding why no memorial was created in Marian's honor.
I can't speak for what the mindset was at the college in the days and years after her murder. I don't believe any slight was intended. It's just a shame that for the love she held for the school and for the love and admiration so many there had for her that there was no lasting remembrance of her.
It may take me a long while to finally decide how to proceed with an ongoing memorial to Marian.
I need to get to know her much better. Then it will be clear how to do something lasting in her honor.