Charles C. Baber

Charles Chenault Baber, known to all as “Charlie”, died April 19 in Princeton, having waged a brave battle against esophageal cancer.

Survived and loved dearly by his wife, Ellen Gould Baber; his children, Jessica and William Goodman; his parents, Donald and Tsuya Baber of Gainesville, Fla.; his brother, Edward Baber of Frederick, Md.; and his in-laws, Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth S. Gould and Georgeanne and Peter Moss of Princeton. In addition, he is mourned by innumerable friends.

Charlie was born in Fort Campbell, Ky. and grew up in Florida. He had a keen intellect, graduating from the University of Florida with honors at age 18 — one of the youngest graduates ever — and embarking on a career in finance at Prudential Securities, Bear Stearns, and Jefferies & Company, where he was known as a visionary leader and mentor.

His passions were legion: his wife and children, art, wine, hunting, military history, golf, the English countryside, and Holland & Holland guns. Charlie’s favorite haunts included his home and garden in Princeton, Hudson Farm, the Springdale Golf Club, and the Arms and Armor Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He was a tireless and masterful fundraiser on behalf of the Princeton Symphony, the Maryland Coastal Conservation Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and most recently, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Charlie had a big personality. He will be remembered for his wit, his ready laugh, his infectious enthusiasm, and his kindness. Charlie always knew what to say, how to put people at their ease, and people loved being around him.

The funeral was held in Princeton on April 22. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to fund the research of Dr. David Ilson, Charlie’s doctor. For more information on Charlie Baber’s Campaign for Esophageal Cancer Research, see charliebaber.com or contact Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10065.

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