LEXINGTON – Prescott “Sonny” Shealey Baines, 71, of Lexington, SC, went to Heaven on January 7, 2013. He was born on June 19, 1941 in Columbia and the son of Rebecca Shealey Baines and the late John C. Baines.
Sonny graduated from the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, FL in 1962. Following graduation he joined the United States Marine Corps where he honorably served his Country from 1962 to 1968. In 1965 he married his sweetheart, Betty Ann Rawl Baines; they settled and raised their family together in Lexington, SC.
In 1963 Sonny’s artistic talents earned him a graphic arts job with South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV), where he worked for 9 years. In 1972 he joined the S.C. Wildlife and Marine Resources Department as a graphic artist in the Information and Education Division and art director of South Carolina Wildlife magazine. His illustrations appeared in South Carolina Wildlife magazine more than 35 times. The official logo used by the S.C. Wildlife and Marine Resources Department was also the work of Sonny. His 1976 painting of the “Fighting Gamecock” was promoted in the University of South Carolina Football program and was used as the backdrop for former USC Basketball Coach Frank McGuire’s Sunday show. In 1981, Sonny was honored for print of the year by the S.C. Wildlife Federation for his artistic rendition of the Ospreys. It was the largest selling limited edition art print offered by the federation. In 1987 he received a companion award of the Ernest Thompson Seton Award by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for his support of integrity in professional wildlife management programs; in that same year he was presented the Communication Award by the S.C. Wildlife Federation for his leadership in bridging together public/private collaboration in the outdoor ethics program RESPECT. His support of this program resulted in national recognition and six Outdoor Ethics awards from the Izaak Walton League of America. Sonny retired after 37 years of public service in 2000 as the director of Information and Education Division at the Department of Natural Resources. He was an active member of Saint Peters Lutheran Church.
Sonny (also known as Pop, Paw Paw and Papa Sonny by his grandchildren) spent his retirement years enjoying the outdoors through hunting and fishing with his family, grilling and cooking for his grandchildren and spending time alone with Betty Ann on their swings at the barn behind their house in Lexington and their beach house in North Carolina.
Sonny is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Betty Anne Rawl Baines; their two daughters, Dr. Beth Baines Browne and her husband Dr. Louis P. Browne of Greenville, SC, and Janie Baines Neeley and her husband Chris G. Neeley of Bentonville, Arkansas; four grandchildren: Jordan, Kathleen, Nick and Tucker.
A service of honor and remembrance will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 10, 2013 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. Sonny's family will receive family and friends during a visitation at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home in Lexington, SC at 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9, 2013. Memorial donations may be made in Sonny’s name to the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Hymnal Fund at 1130 Saint Peters Church Road, Lexington, SC 29072.
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