Earl Thomas Baysden, Jr. Obituary (1944

Earl Thomas Baysden, Jr. (Tommy) passed away peacefully Sunday, February 13, 2022, at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. He was born January 11, 1944, to the late Earl Thomas Baysden and Nelle Johnston Baysden. Tommy grew up in Rocky Mount, NC, and graduated from Rocky Mount Senior High. After graduating from high school, he attended UNC-Chapel Hill where he earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's in business administration. During his time in Chapel Hill, Tommy was an active member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and Gorgon's Head Lodge. In 1966 he voluntarily enlisted in the US Navy and was deployed to Vietnam in 1968 as a Lieutenant and served as advisor to a Vietnamese Navy Coastal Group. Tommy was awarded the bronze star with V Cluster for Valor for his service to his country. Upon returning from Vietnam, Tommy began his professional career in real estate development with the Sea Pines Company in 1971, under the tutelage of Charles Fraser. His time spent at Sea Pines ignited a 40+ year career of marketing resort, residential communities along the North and South Carolina coasts. He particularly enjoyed his years as chief marketing officer for Spring Island and later Palmetto Bluff. Tommy's passion for the outdoors, conservation and creating indelible memories for families became his signature professional talent and were prevalent themes across every community that he touched. Tommy possessed a tremendous love for music and was an accomplished guitar player and entertainer to his family and friends. Also, an adept writer and poet, he became an accomplished author during his retirement, penning three books about his favorite passions: A memoir about his tenure in Vietnam; a non-fiction account of growing up amid the natural beauty of the North and South Carolina coasts; and a memoir about life as a UNC-Chapel Hill student in the 1960's. Left to cherish his memory, Tommy is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Cynthia Bullard Baysden; his brother Edward Baysden and his wife Jenny Baysden of Raleigh, NC and their two daughters Arrington Howard of Raleigh, NC and Nelle Baysden of New York, NY, and their families; sons Earl Thomas Baysden III(Chip) of Greenville, SC Andrew Bullard Baysden and his wife Joelle Wike Baysden of Charlotte, NC and two adored granddaughters Marielle and Kitley Baysden. A memorial service for Tommy will be held Saturday March 5, at 2pm at Church of the Good Shepard in Rocky Mount, NC. Memorials may be made to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, PO Box 761, Port Royal, SC 29935, or the Church of the Good Shepard, 231 N. Church Street, Rocky Mount, NC 27804.