Judge Emily Vaughn Baker Lasater

Judge Emily Louise Vaughn Baker was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Robert Lee and Laura Faye Tillman Vaughn. She graduated from Newcomb College of Tulane University. She also graduated from Mississippi College School of Law with a Jurist Doctorate, Cum Laude and from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, Cum Laude. In 1971 she started practicing law with Supreme Court Justice Chuck McRae and in 1975 was elected as Youth Court Judge for Jackson County, MS. During this time, she started CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and was also a founding member of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Zonta and many other organizations. She sat on the bench for the next sixteen years, leaving in 1991 to St. Petersburg, FL., where she became Director of Applied Ethics Institute and Program at St. Petersburg College. While at the college she helped write and publish several books on Applied Ethics. She retired in 2005 and returned home to Pascagoula just in time for Hurricane Katrina. While at Tulane Emily met and married James Patteson Baker of Mobile, Alabama in 1948 and had four children. In 1975 she was married to Robert Aasen of Floral Park, New York, until his death in 1981. In 1994 she married Charles Lasater of St. Petersburg, Fl. Judge Baker received Honors for Exemplary Service to Juvenile Justice from the State of Mississippi, Outstanding Citizen of Jackson County, Mississippi’s Most Distinguished Juvenile Justice Advocate, Person of the Year in Criminal Justice, House Resolution No. 56 for outstanding accomplishments and services to the Juvenile Justice System, Outstanding Community Leaders of America, and Outstanding Service on Behalf of Victims of Crime from the United States Dept. of Justice. Emily was also a Kentucky Colonel. While living in Florida, Dr. Baker, as she was known, stayed actively involved with St. Anne of Grace Episcopal Church of St. Pete, Mississippi Bar Assn., Florida Assn. of Community Colleges and National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Throughout her years, she stayed involved with University of Southern Mississippi and Tulane University Alumni Assn., Zonta, and St. John’s Episcopal Church of Pascagoula and is a member of the Daughters of the King. Emily was preceded in death by her parents, husbands and son, Captain William E. Baker of Florida. She is survived by her daughter Carryl Watts, RN of Greenville, MS; son Captain Robert T. and Alice Baker of Pascagoula; son Charles W. Baker of Pascagoula; stepdaughter Linda Frame and husband Richard Rieth of Anaheim, CA.; grandchildren Capt. Justin Simpson of Morton, MS; Emily Watts, RN and Dr. Alison Watts Hood and husband Dr. Michael Hood of Memphis, TN; Capt. Seth Baker, Chief Officer Troy Baker of Pascagoula and Andrew Baker, of Austin, TX; Sara Elisabeth Baker of New York, NY and Ross Baker of Pascagoula; Shannon Frame and James Dawson of Alvin, TX and Tanya McFaden of Tarpon Springs, Florida. The Family would like to give special thanks and recognition to those amazing angels who helped take care of Emily over her last years, Anita Shepard, Michelle White, Jacquiline Duckworth, Deidra Taylor, Lulu Williams, Bianca Cotton, Cherika Kirkland, Daijah Grant, Elaine Hughes, and especially to Ronzie Blackman and friend Dubose and many others. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CASA via Jackson County Youth Court, 4903 Telephone Rd., Pascagoula, MS 39567 or to St. John’s Episcopal Church, Pascagoula. Funeral Services will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Pascagoula, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 at 10 A.M. After will be a short Internment Ceremony in the church courtyard. Friends may visit with the family after the services in the church parish hall. Holder Wells - Coastal Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. You may sign the online register book at www.coastalfuneralhome.net

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Judge Emily Vaughn Baker Lasater

August 16, 1930 - August 15, 2017