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By Bill Lilley
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 12:06 p.m. EDT, Apr 28, 2008
The easiest decision Barberton veteran Jaycees Cherry Blossom Festival chairwoman Teri Dwyer had this year was naming the perfect candidate to be the grand marshal for the parade Saturday.
The theme of the 2008 festival is Purple Pride. That made the Purple Man, a parade fixture over the years, the natural choice to head the event through downtown Barberton to Lake Anna.
Dwyer, however, did have one big problem.
''I had no idea how to call him,'' Dwyer said. ''I didn't know the Purple Man's name.''
Area banks readily accept checks made out to and signed by the Purple Man.
Stores accept orders from the Purple Man.
But you won't find the Purple Man listed in the phone book. And few people know his given name.
Dwyer sent her sister, grand marshal chairwoman Lesa Madonia, on a mission to find the Purple Man's house.
It wasn't hard.
Located on the far west side of Akron, practically abutting the Barberton border, the small brick and stone edifice with the purple awnings, purple steps, purple stoop, purple mailbox and purple PT Cruiser parked in the driveway is home to Earl Baker, also known as the Purple Man.
Though it's incorrect to assume that Baker's purple passion is derived directly through Barberton, the 90-year-old retired brick and stone mason was born in Barberton during World War I.
Barberton, however, had virtually no influence on his life.
''We moved to a house on Manchester Road when I was one,'' Baker said, ''and then to a farm in Ashland.''
In fact, Baker lived the first 63 years of his life without a purple fetish.
Then fate intervened. He was a member of the Victory Lodge in Kenmore, and the local chapter of Job's Daughters of the Masonic Lodge served dinners at the lodge.
''Job's Daughters' international color is purple,'' Baker said. ''The girls all liked me and they got me a pair of purple suspenders. That's how it all got it started in 1981.''
And it spread quickly.
Somebody else got Baker, who served in the Army in World War II in North Africa and Italy, a purple jacket.
Someone else picked up a pair of purple and white Converse basketball shoes in Alliance.
Baker's life became a purple affair.
Purple clothing. Purple dishes. Even a purple vehicle.
Baker has thoroughly enjoyed the local celebrity status that being known as the Purple Man has brought. And he's thrilled to serve as the grand marshal of the parade. He has been a part of it every year for more than a decade.
''I love throwing candy out and seeing the big smiles on kids' faces,'' said Baker, who has four children, seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. ''This will be one of the great thrills of my lifetime for me.''
The parade will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday on Wooster Road. It will also march along Tuscawaras Avenue and Eighth, Second and Sixth streets.
Dwyer said the festival was shortened to three days this year as a concession to Barberton businesses that complained the big event caused parking problems and cut into revenue.
This year, the festival will close one hour earlier at 10 p.m. In addition, the carnival crew will wait until Thursday to set up and Friday to open.
''We've had to scale back a little, so it will be different,'' Dwyer said. ''But it's still going to be a great event and the parade with the Purple Man leading the way will be as magnificent as ever.''
The easiest decision Barberton veteran Jaycees Cherry Blossom Festival chairwoman Teri Dwyer had this year was naming the perfect candidate to be the grand marshal for the parade Saturday.
The theme of the 2008 festival is Purple Pride. That made the Purple Man, a parade fixture over the years, the natural choice to head the event through downtown Barberton to Lake Anna.
Dwyer, however, did have one big problem.
''I had no idea how to call him,'' Dwyer said. ''I didn't know the Purple Man's name.''
Area banks readily accept checks made out to and signed by the Purple Man.
Stores accept orders from the Purple Man.
But you won't find the Purple Man listed in the phone book. And few people know his given name.
Dwyer sent her sister, grand marshal chairwoman Lesa Madonia, on a mission to find the Purple Man's house.
It wasn't hard.
Located on the far west side of Akron, practically abutting the Barberton border, the small brick and stone edifice with the purple awnings, purple steps, purple stoop, purple mailbox and purple PT Cruiser parked in the driveway is home to Earl Baker, also known as the Purple Man.
Though it's incorrect to assume that Baker's purple passion is derived directly through Barberton, the 90-year-old retired brick and stone mason was born in Barberton during World War I.
Barberton, however, had virtually no influence on his life.
''We moved to a house on Manchester Road when I was one,'' Baker said, ''and then to a farm in Ashland.''
In fact, Baker lived the first 63 years of his life without a purple fetish.
Then fate intervened. He was a member of the Victory Lodge in Kenmore, and the local chapter of Job's Daughters of the Masonic Lodge served dinners at the lodge.
''Job's Daughters' international color is purple,'' Baker said. ''The girls all liked me and they got me a pair of purple suspenders. That's how it all got it started in 1981.''
And it spread quickly.
Somebody else got Baker, who served in the Army in World War II in North Africa and Italy, a purple jacket.
Someone else picked up a pair of purple and white Converse basketball shoes in Alliance.
Baker's life became a purple affair.
Purple clothing. Purple dishes. Even a purple vehicle.
Baker has thoroughly enjoyed the local celebrity status that being known as the Purple Man has brought. And he's thrilled to serve as the grand marshal of the parade. He has been a part of it every year for more than a decade.
''I love throwing candy out and seeing the big smiles on kids' faces,'' said Baker, who has four children, seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. ''This will be one of the great thrills of my lifetime for me.''
The parade will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday on Wooster Road. It will also march along Tuscawaras Avenue and Eighth, Second and Sixth streets.
Dwyer said the festival was shortened to three days this year as a concession to Barberton businesses that complained the big event caused parking problems and cut into revenue.
This year, the festival will close one hour earlier at 10 p.m. In addition, the carnival crew will wait until Thursday to set up and Friday to open.
''We've had to scale back a little, so it will be different,'' Dwyer said. ''But it's still going to be a great event and the parade with the Purple Man leading the way will be as magnificent as ever.''
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