Samuel Baez
Waterford — Samuel Baez, Captain, U.S. Navy, Chaplain Corps (Ret), died Feb. 25, 2023, at his home in Waterford, after an illness of many months. He was born March 31, 1932, in El Paso, Texas, the sixth of seven children born to the Rev. Alfonso Baez-Fonseca and Teresa Camargo de Leon Baez. Because of his father’s ministry with the missions of the Presbyterian Church, the family moved to several locations in Mexico, and then Colorado, California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas.
When Sam was 13, his mother died. He spent his junior high years and a high school year at Presbyterian boarding schools in Santa Fe, and Albuquerque. During high school, he moved to Iowa, to live with his sister and her husband, and graduated from Marion High in 1950, as president of his class. After a brief time at the University of Iowa, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, the Korean War having recently started. During his enlistment, he received a congressional appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He completed a year at the Navy Prep School, then located in Bainbridge, Md., and entered the Annapolis academy, Class of 1957. During his first year there, he decided to enter the ministry, resigning his commission, and enrolled at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., graduating in 1957. He then attended Princeton Theological Seminary, graduating 1960.
He returned to the Twin Cities as an assistant minister to Andrew Presbyterian Church, where he met Marianne, who would become his wife. In June 1961, he reentered military service, joining the Navy Chaplain Corps, to serve personnel of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Duty stations were Newport, San Diego, Japan, and South Vietnam in Soc Trang and Danang, with a Marine helicopter unit in 1962, early in that war. He conducted services for the first Marine casualties of the war.
Eight days after his return to the U.S., he and Marianne were married March 16, 1963, in Duluth, Minn. He served in California, Connecticut, Puerto Rico, New York City, Spain, and Governor’s Island, N.Y. In 1975, he and his wife purchased their home on the Niantic River. More assignments were Newport, Okinawa, and the USS Fulton in New London. He retired from the Navy at El Toro, Calif., in October 1981, with 28 years of military service.
In retirement, he was on staff of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, serving South Lyme Chapel, and for two years in the mid-1980s, was minister of Park Congregational Church, Norwich. He enjoyed a long association with the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, its staff and members of the congregation.
His tennis racquet had traveled the world with him, and was the basis for many friendships abroad and locally. He’d said in retirement, he’d like to “drive people where they wanted to go,” and for several years he did that, appreciating the relationships with those he drove. A natural talent led him to producing art works in various media. He authored three books: a novel, a personal memoir and a children’s book. He enjoyed fishing in the Niantic River, played some golf, and felt himself blessed by those years. He was inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame in 2014.
His survivors are Marianne, his wife of almost 60 years; son John and daughter-in-law Katherine and grandsons John David Jr. and Mason Samuel of Waterford; son Michael and daughter-in-law Cynthia and grandson Braxton Martin of West Bridgewater, Mass.; and son Robert Andrew “Bobby,” in life care at Richmond Center in Yonkers, N.Y. He was predeceased by son Peter, and by all of his siblings: Teresita, who died in childhood; eldest sister Estella “Mickey” and her husband Elias Valdez, who became his adoptive parents when he was in high school, Ana Marie Bruenger, Alfonso Baez Jr., his youngest sister Celia Garcia, who died Sept. 3, 2022, and his eldest brother H. Paul Baez, who died this past Jan. 7.
His family is very grateful for the care provided by Hartford HealthCare at Home Hospice Care, most especially the care rendered by Nancy and Carly.
A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at the First Congregational Church in Old Lyme, 2 Ferry Road, Old Lyme. Any tributes might be directed to Richmond Community Services, 272 N. Bedford Road, Mount Kisco, NY 10549; or the New London Homeless Hospitality Center, 730 State Pier Road, New London, CT 06320, earmarked for its Veterans Services. Thomas L. Neilan & Sons East Lyme Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Please visit www.neilanfuneralhome.com to leave the family an online condolence.