Chester Earle Baum Jr.

Chester Earle Baum, Jr., of Oxford, died at The Talbot Hospice House in Easton on Wednesday, October 17, 2001. He was 82. Born in Wilmington, Delaware, January 17, 1919, he was the son of the late Chester Earle, Sr. and Elva Nora Armstrong Baum. After attending the Delaware City, DE public school and the Wilmington Friends School, he graduated from St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, DE in 1936. He then went on to receive a degree from Haverford College. In 1940, he received a commission in the U. S. Navy Reserve and in Dec. of 1941, was called to active duty. He served with the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Armed Guard and the Amphibious Forces in the Pacific. Following his release from active duty, he completed studies at the Harvard Graduate School. He was associated with St. Andrew’s School as an educator and later Archivist for 30 years. Following this retirement, he moved to Oxford, MD where he taught briefly at the St Michaels High School and then served as a Coordinator for the MD Drug Abuse Council. Following his retirement in 1987, he moved to Punta Gorda, FL where he worked as an editor for Tabby House Press. In 1995, he returned to Oxford to live. A member of the Church of The Holy Trinity, Oxford, he was also a member of the Tred Avon Players in Oxford and the Charlotte Players in Port Charlotte, FL as well as the Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford where he was a sailing instructor for several years. His wife, Phebe Ann Baum whom he married in 1953, died on October 13th of this year. Mr. Baum is survived by two sons, Nick Baum of Paris, France and Price A. Baum, of Oxford; four step-sons, Charles M. Cann of Marion, MA, Daniel B. Smith and William B. Smith, both of Oxford and Henry B. Smith of Hamilton, Bermuda and eight grandchildren. Another son, John Baum, is deceased. Memorial services for Mr. And Mrs. Baum will be held at The Church of The Holy Trinity, Oxford, on Saturday, October 20th at 11 A. M. Inurnment will be in the Holy Trinity Church Columbarium. Memorial donations may be made to St. Andrews School, 350 Noxontown Road, Middletown, DE 19709 Funeral arrangements are by The Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., Easton.