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Apr 26, 2009, 1:37 PM
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EIGHT BELLS: Kay Baxter
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Submitted by Mark H. Baxter:
Katharine Kinsey Baxter, known by sailors from Chicago to Florida as Kay, passed away quietly at home in Fort Lauderdale. In her youth, Kay sailed dinghies in Belmont Harbor and around Great Lakes with her father and uncle aboard their Bangalores. Together husband Mark and Kay Baxter campaigned a Cal 30, Cal 36, and Swan 38 while raising four kids totally hooked on sailing. Two sons became sailmakers and a daughter became president of US SAILING.
During the 70’s and 80’s, Kay’s home was host to numerous gatherings where discussions on sailing ranged from Handicap rules and Safety at Sea to Racing Rules, Race Management, and Judging. More than one well known yachtsman has spent the night on her couch after one of these “discussions” ended in the wee hours.
Kay’s real legacy is the near 60 years spent starting and finishing yacht races. As a teenager just after WWII, she assisted the Mackinac Race Committee, standing watch at the Coast Guard station and monitoring the radio (while occasionally sneaking a few beers with her teenage friends). She continued as a member of Race Committees for regattas ranging from One Design World championships for Lightnings, Stars, and Etchells to IOR Ton regattas, SORC, IACC Worlds, and hundreds of Chicago YC weekend club races.
Through her 70’s, she still loved the regatta scene, particularly manning the Farr 40 weigh-in desk in Miami where she got a kick out of asking the top rock stars of sailing to strip down. Last summer, she turned 80, celebrating with friends and family on the front porch of the Windemere Hotel after working the finish of the 100th Chicago Mac race with her youngest daughter. Afterwards, she hurried back to Chicago to help with one of her favorite regattas, the North American Challenge Cup for disabled sailors. Kay’s love of the sport and respect for her fellow race committee members led her to donate a special trophy to the CYC for members that have served over 25 years on the race committee.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for those who wish to honor Kay’s memory do so by volunteering for their local race committee or making a donation to their favorite sailing organization. There will be a gathering (party) to remember Kay at her beloved Belmont Harbor later this spring. Then this summer, she’ll start her first race to Mackinac and join her parents and beloved husband at Can #5.
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