Clifford Baum

Clifford Brantley Baum May 12, 1935 – May 29, 2024

Clifford B. Baum of Chapel Hill, NC, passed away on May 29, 2024 at the age of 89 after two months with Heartland Hospice. Born in Quitman, Georgia, he loved small town life and competed on his high school football and track teams. As a jogger for many years afterwards, he inspired his children to run track as well.

Cliff attended Emory University for his political science degree and Georgia State night classes for his MBA. At Emory, he met his future wife, Catherine. He surreptitiously learned her name in order to surprise her and ask her out. They would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in June 2024. After getting married, he worked in the trust department for banks in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Jacksonville, Florida. He and Catherine lived in Jacksonville for more than 40 years, where they were active members of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Cliff provided the initial funding for weekly lunches for seniors at the church and also volunteered to visit seniors and to drive them to appointments.

In retirement, he continued his financial interests by researching stocks in new technologies on the internet, ranging from hypersonic jets to gene editing. He enjoyed sailing in the St. Johns River and traveling to beaches along the East Coast, including family vacations with his children and grandchildren. Cliff was known for generously sharing M&Ms with grandchildren, nieces, and nephews on these trips..

After moving to North Carolina to be closer to family, he enjoyed sharing jokes with new friends. As proud founder of the Durham Procrastination Society, he had plans to host their first meeting “one of these days.” Even with serious medical issues, he remained cheerful and optimistic, always saying, “We can cope,” when faced with new challenges.

After a private service June 6th, there will be a memorial service in August at Trinity United Methodist Church in Durham. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity.

He is predeceased by his parents, Marian Baum and J. Brantley Baum, by his sister Patricia Baum, and son-in-law Will Gillespie. He is survived by his wife Catherine Baum; three daughters Catherine Gillespie (Will), Elizabeth Benson (Ted), and Laura Ketcham (Darryl); four grandchildren Joshua Benson, Zach Benson, Anna Gillespie, and Katie Ketcham; and sister Marian Russell of Sequim, Washington.