Thomas E. Baynes

THOMAS E. BAYNES, 69
U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Judge

LAKE WALES - The Honorable Thomas E. Baynes, United States Federal Bankruptcy Judge, retired, 69, of Lake Wales, Florida died Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at his home, after a lengthy struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
He was born in New York, New York on March 19, 1940 to Thomas E. and Ann Burke Baynes, Sr. Judge Baynes received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his law degrees from Emory University and Yale University.
In March, 2005, after 17 years as a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of Florida, Mr. Baynes retired and began a mediation and arbitration practice. He was its Chief Bankruptcy Judge from August 2000 until March 2003. On the Monday before his death Tom proudly went to the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Tampa to be honored by his peers. Judges from all over Florida have named his courtroom after him for his service and dedication. Prior to coming on the bench he was a partner with the Lake Wales law firm of Peterson and Myers P.A., Mr. Baynes had rejoined the firm as "counsel" in the Winter Haven office. Before his coming to Lake Wales in 1978 he was a Professor of Law and Public Administration at Nova University in Fort Lauderdale. He was a member of the Administrative staff of the late Chief Justice Warren Burger of the United States Supreme Court and a retired Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, JAGC. Mr. Baynes has authored a number of books and articles in the areas of Bankruptcy, Mortgages and Commercial litigation and is the author of Florida Mortgages. He was a member of the State Bar of Georgia, Florida Bar Association, Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Military Court of Appeals, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the Fifth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Middle District and Southern District of Florida, and was a Certified Florida Circuit Court Mediator and Arbitrator.
He served on the Board of Directors at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute from 1989 until 1994 and 1997 until this year. Tom was always active in Lake Wales. He served on the Board of the Lake Wales Public Library, as counsel to the Depot Museum, the Ridge Orchid Society, and the Lake Wales Kiwanis Club. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Wales. He volunteered at the Iditarod Dogsled Race in Alaska for a period of six years.
He is survived by his wife of forty-seven years Maija; daughters Cynthia Lynn Hudgins of Savannah, Georgia and Barbara Ann Brown of Lake Wales; four grandchildren; and his sister Nancy Lux and her husband Stuart Goldstein of Phoenix, Arizona.
Memorial services will be Sunday, December 20, 2009, at 2:00 P.M. at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Wales, 16 North Third Street, Lake Wales, FL 33853. Memorials of remembrance may be made to the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612-9497, the Lake Wales Public Library, 290 Cypress Garden Lane, Lake Wales, FL 33853, or the Depot Museum 325 South Scenic Highway, Lake Wales.

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