William Perry Baker

William Perry Baker, 85, of Columbus, Ohio, died Wednesday August 11, 2021 at Wesley Glen Retirement Community in Columbus, Ohio. Born on December 15, 1935 in El Dorado, Arkansas, Bill was the eldest son of Claude and Margaret Baker. Bill was a graduate of El Dorado High School, AR where he first developed a love and interest for music, in particular, the oboe. Upon high school graduation, Bill studied at Southeastern Louisiana College in Hammond, LA, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. At this time, Bill auditioned and was hired for the position of Principal Oboist in the Baton Rouge Symphony where he came under the tutelage of Maestro Emil Cooper, of St. Petersburg Russia, who personally worked with and conducted the symphonic works of the great composers of the “Silver Age of Russian Culture” including Igor Stravinski and Nikolai Rimski Korsakov. Bill also began studying under John Mack, who later became Principal Oboist for the Cleveland Orchestra. This was the beginning of what would become a life-long friendship. During his time at LSU, Bill became friends with trumpeter, Dr. Richard Burkart. Bill and Dr. Burkart built a close friendship that would continue when they became colleagues on the Music Faculty at Ohio State and beyond into retirement. Upon graduation from Southeastern, Bill was employed briefly as a Middle School Music Teacher at Jonesboro, AR. Shortly thereafter, Bill completed his Master’s Degree at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. Following this, Bill was hired as Associate Professor of Music at both Texas Weslyan College in Fort Worth, TX and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. In the summer of 1962, just hours after his first son was born, Bill interviewed for and was hired for what was the newly created position of Associate Professor of Oboe at THE Ohio State University, a position that he held until 1988. During this time, Bill was also hired as Principal Oboist for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, a position that he held until 1976. During Bill’s time at Ohio State, he became a lifelong teacher and mentor to countless of students as well as a lifelong friend and colleague to many of the America’s pre-eminent oboists. Bill established an Oboe Camp, which met annually at Put-In-Bay, Procter Center at London, OH and Kenyon College at Gambier, OH where he and other colleagues taught countless high school students how to make oboe reeds and to perform works of composers such as Telemann, Bach, Beethoven. Bill was also conductor of the Columbus Women’s Club Symphony as well as Music Director and Conductor of the Land of Legend Symphony based in Newark, OH. Bill was also one of the founding members of Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra in 1979 and was Principal Oboist during the chamber orchestra’s early years. Upon his retirement from Ohio State, Bill was Associate Professor for Woodwinds at Capital University until 1999. At this time, Bill helped establish the Lyric Woodwind Quintet, which performed and gave classes in the Licking County Public Schools as well as travels and performances at venues such as churches in Europe. As a parent, teacher, mentor and colleague Bill always stressed the importance hard work, a sense of humor and love for the arts as a means to give “color” and “soul” to a world too often obsessed with other interests. Bill loved spending time with his children, the memories of which included trips to his parents in Southern Arkansas, the outer banks of North Carolina and to Cincinnati Reds games. Bill was also a gourmet cook, a world traveler, and a licensed pilot of single engine aircraft. Bill had a huge passion for Ohio State Football, had season’s tickets for years and loved to get together with family every game day in order to watch the Buckeyes. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Margaret and Claude, his first wife and mother to his four children, Myra, and his second wife, Vivian. Survivors include his brothers, Claude Douglas (Neva) of Waldo, AR; Paul David (Theresa) of Haughton, LA; son, Curtis of Columbus; son, Dr. John (Sandra) of Floyd, Virginia, daughter Ellen (Peter) of Columbus; son Justin (Deborah); along with grandchildren Samuel, Olivia, Ashley and Andrew. Bill will be missed by many students, colleagues, friends and family upon whom he had tremendous and life-long influence. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, June 18th, from 3:00-5:00 pm at the Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home, 515 High Street, Worthington, Ohio.

William Perry Baker

December 15, 1935 - August 11, 2021