Obituary for Howard ""Tom"" Baugh III
The celestial choir will be singing with a few more consonants this Christmas, now that their new director is on board. H. Thomas Baugh III of Roanoke, Virginia, died on Sunday, December 6, 2020, of complications from renal cell cancer.
Tom was born in Oklahoma City to Jean McDuff Baugh and Howard T. Baugh Jr., who predeceased him.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jane Roth Baugh; his sister, Barbara Baugh Laird; in-laws, Katherine and Alan Riley; niece and nephew, Margaret and Michael Riley; his Christ Church family; and the lights of his life, Olivier and Violet, cats extraordinaire.
Tom was a graduate of Oklahoma City University, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and Westminster Choir College. An extremely gifted musician, beginning at age 14, he served churches in Oklahoma, New Jersey, Richmond, and Petersburg before finding his church home at Christ Episcopal Church in Roanoke. In his 34 years of service there, Tom conducted choirs, wrote bell music, gave many recitals, and revived the traditional Episcopal service of Evensong in the Roanoke Valley. After the installation of a new organ in the church in 2004, he started a popular series of summer organ recitals, which featured a variety of players and had a dedicated following. His knowledge, humor, and intelligence enabled him to coax difficult music out of his singers, while enabling them to enjoy the process.
Tom was also a talented amateur photographer, sometimes to the frustration of his subjects, and a collector of cameras, fountain pens, and watches. He would have liked to collect Morgan automobiles.
Tom wasn’t always on time, but he made up for it by staying a little late telling stories.
Special thanks go out to the caring staffs at Carilion Brambleton Family Practice, Blue Ridge Cancer Care, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and In-Patient Rehab at Community Hospital.
A celebration of his life will be held at a time when we are able to gather safely.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Thomas Baugh Music Fund at Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Road, SW, Roanoke, VA 24016, to Angels of Assisi, 415 Campbell Avenue, SW, Roanoke, VA 24016, or to your favorite charity. Online condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.oakeys.com.
Tom was born in Oklahoma City to Jean McDuff Baugh and Howard T. Baugh Jr., who predeceased him.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jane Roth Baugh; his sister, Barbara Baugh Laird; in-laws, Katherine and Alan Riley; niece and nephew, Margaret and Michael Riley; his Christ Church family; and the lights of his life, Olivier and Violet, cats extraordinaire.
Tom was a graduate of Oklahoma City University, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and Westminster Choir College. An extremely gifted musician, beginning at age 14, he served churches in Oklahoma, New Jersey, Richmond, and Petersburg before finding his church home at Christ Episcopal Church in Roanoke. In his 34 years of service there, Tom conducted choirs, wrote bell music, gave many recitals, and revived the traditional Episcopal service of Evensong in the Roanoke Valley. After the installation of a new organ in the church in 2004, he started a popular series of summer organ recitals, which featured a variety of players and had a dedicated following. His knowledge, humor, and intelligence enabled him to coax difficult music out of his singers, while enabling them to enjoy the process.
Tom was also a talented amateur photographer, sometimes to the frustration of his subjects, and a collector of cameras, fountain pens, and watches. He would have liked to collect Morgan automobiles.
Tom wasn’t always on time, but he made up for it by staying a little late telling stories.
Special thanks go out to the caring staffs at Carilion Brambleton Family Practice, Blue Ridge Cancer Care, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and In-Patient Rehab at Community Hospital.
A celebration of his life will be held at a time when we are able to gather safely.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Thomas Baugh Music Fund at Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Road, SW, Roanoke, VA 24016, to Angels of Assisi, 415 Campbell Avenue, SW, Roanoke, VA 24016, or to your favorite charity. Online condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.oakeys.com.