Joseph Quincy Baxter III

1937 - 2016

Joseph Quincy
Baxter III
12/6/1937-8/13/2016

Joseph Quincy Baxter III passed from this earth on Saturday, August 13, 2016 in Fresno, Calif.
Joe retired from his career with the United States Navy with the rank of Chief Petty Officer in 1974. After his military service, he began a new career at Proteus Vocational Training Program in Fresno, where he taught diesel mechanics skills. His third and final career ended in retirement from Kubota Tractor Corp. USA as the Western Regional Manufacturers Representative.
Joe lived in Fresno for 42 years, but was a descendant of the pioneer Baxter Family of the town of Baxter, California in the Sierra Nevada and the historic Baxter Ranch on Baxter Grade Road in Auburn, California. Nine generations of his family have lived in California since the Gold Rush. Joe was part of the third generation born here. His great grandfather, the first Joseph Quincy Baxter, came from Quincy, Massachusetts which his family founded in 1630. He shared ancestry with Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. The first Joseph Quincy arrived in California in 1850 to look for gold. He settled in Clarksville, Eldorado County where he worked as a butcher. He met his wife, Jane Ann Pedler, of Pedler Hill near Placerville, who had come by wagon from Wisconsin with her parents and grandmother. In 1865 Joseph Quincy I moved to Alta and began raising cattle and established Baxter's Camp. It later became the town of Baxter that served travelers on old Highway 40 or the Lincoln Highway. The Ranch on Baxter Grade Road in Auburn served as his winter pasture. The cattle were driven on horseback between the two properties.
Joe the III was born in Auburn in December 1937. He was a partner in the Baxter Ranch Auburn which still operates today. He was proud to be the bearer of the Joseph Quincy Baxter name and has passed it on to his nephew and grand nephew. To date, five Joseph Quincy Baxters have lived in California.
Joe leaves his loving wife of over 51 years, Kathleen Mary Wharff Baxter and a son, James Joseph Baxter, five siblings, Frank Baxter (Kathy), Mike Baxter, Jane Baxter, Genevieve Dunn (Joel), and Mary Baxter-Simmons (Rod), many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, great, great nieces and a great, great nephew.
Graveside service with Military Honors at The New Auburn Cemetery, 1040 Collins Dr., Auburn, CA 95603 at 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 18, 2016. Condolences at wildrosechapel.com.
Donations to the donor's favorite charity.