Obituary
Thomas Frank Baer of New Smyrna, Beach, FL passed away, Saturday, October, 28, 2017 at home after a long illness. He passed away peacefully, but his life could have been an action movie. If you can picture a man “larger than life” Tom would be it. He was rough and gruff, but deep inside he would give you the shirt off his back. Everyone who knew Tom appreciated his hearty laugh, sense of humor and his many stories. Tom was born in April 18,1952 in Lansdowne, Pa. to Robert and Gradye Baer. In 1970, Tom entered the US Army and was sent to Vietnam. He was at I-Corp in Da Nang serving as Strategic Communications / DASPO, TS Clearance/Stratcom/DASPO/Army Aviation. There he learned his craft and passion for communications. After honorably serving until 1973, Tom went to Temple University for Broadcast Communications. Tom began his career as a sound engineer and traveled with acts including Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, and Grover Washington. He went on to work for NBC News affiliate in New York City before becoming a Camera Man and eventually Satellite Engineer for NBC News. He worked in New York and Chicago before moving to Florida to take over the SE Region in his now famous satellite truck Swamp Boy. Throughout his long career with NBC Tom traveled to all the hot spots, Somalia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and Haiti just to name a few. Tom’s love for aviation was well known and he was happiest when piloting his own plane around the country. Tom leaves behind a brother Bob Baer, of Sarasota, his uncle Herman Fischer & cousins, Tracy Gearheart, Jennifer Fischer and Mark Fischer, all of Yardley, Bucks County, PA. His fiancé Roxanne Hicks and her children Curtis and Samantha Hicks, New Smyrna Beach, FL and many heartbroken friends and colleagues throughout the world. Memorial Services will be held on November 12th at 3:00 pm at Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park in New Smyrna Beach. The park is located at 6656 S Atlantic Ave, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in his name to the Edgewater Animal Shelter, 605 Mango Tree Drive, Edgewater, FL 32132 or the Boys and Girls Club of Volusia/Flagler County, 101 N Woodland Blvd. #400 Deland, FL 32720.
John Truitt