Philip B.R. Baas, III

Philip B. R. Baas III was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 29, 1945 to Regina McCabe Baas and Philip B.R. Baas, Jr. He was a 1963 graduate of Tenafly High School in Tenafly, New Jersey, Yale College (Saybrook) in 1967, and on June 9, 1974, he was awarded a Master’s in Education from Boston State College. Philip also attended the New England School of Law and received his Juris Doctor on June 6, 1981. He lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts for almost fifty years and taught history and social studies in the Boston City School System.

Known to his family and friends as Skip, he was a gifted vocalist and performed widely in the Boston area. He had a special interest in Gilbert and Sullivan and gained acclaim (and many curtain calls) for his role as the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan's “The Pirates of Penzance”. Departing from his “G and S” roots, his portrayal of Alfie Dolittle in “My Fair Lady” garnered numerous spontaneous encores. Displaying remarkable versatility, he appeared as Juan Peron in a Boston production of “Evita” and as a soloist in “Man of La Mancha”.

Skip had an avid interest in travel and visited many European countries, but the trips he took to Alaska to visit his childhood friend, Sally Maxwell Dworsky, were among his favorites. His real passion was collecting, and he was particularly interested in 19th century photographic images. He had a significant collection of historic stereo views as well as postcards, ambrotypes and daguerreotypes. His other collecting interests included railroad memorabilia, and ephemera related to Norwich, New York, where his family resided for many years.

Skip is survived by his two sisters, Christy Baas Cardellichio and her husband Michael Cardellichio, and Gigi Baas and her husband Karol Kucinski; niece Carolyn Cardellichio and her husband Matthew Ruggiero; cousins Jeanne P. Coppola, Berend W. Baas, Jr., Nicholas Pietrangelo and Lorene Gilliksen, and their families; and dear friend and fellow collector, Henry J. Drexler. He is predeceased by his parents Regina and Philip B. R. Baas Jr. and his grandparents Regina and Joseph McCabe, and Grace and Philip Baas; his favorite dog, Siegfried, whom he called “Capt'n Jack”; and his cat Leviathan.

Skip’s family would like to express gratitude to the Norwood Healthcare in Norwood, MA for the care given to him during his time there.

A graveside service will be held at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Norwich, NY at a future date.

Memorial contributions in his memory may be made to the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum, 45 Rexford Street, Norwich, NY 13815.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted with the Wilson Funeral Home.