Albert M Baxter

Albert “Max” Baxter, 89, of Pensacola, joined our loving Creator on August 31, 2025. He peacefully passed after a long and joyful life.

Max was born on August 17, 1936, in Pensacola, Florida at the “old” Sacred Heart Hospital on12th Avenue. His parents were Albert Hugh Baxter and Lela LaMerle (née Hagler) Baxter. His older brother was Joseph Jay Baxter.

During his childhood, Max lived with his parents and brother “Joe” in the Brownsville neighborhood of Pensacola. Max spoke frequently about his childhood in Brownsville, neighborhood boyhood antics, lifelong friends such as William Justice, Donnie and Mary Tidwell, the McArthur “boys” and many more.

As a boy, he loved the Pleezing Gospel Hour which was broadcast Sunday mornings from the Pleezing Grocery Store in his neighborhood. He wistfully recalled attending many all-night sings at “The Pleezing.” This fostered his lifelong love of “old time” Gospel music.

As a teen, his family joined McIlwain Presbyterian Church where he remained a life-long member.

Max enjoyed all athletics whether it be a neighborhood pickup game, an organized team or church league. He graduated from Pensacola High School where he was an all-star and a member of the 1954 Florida state championship football team.

After graduation from PHS, Max accepted a football scholarship to the University of Alabama which kicked off his great love for Alabama Football! Max played football for The Crimson Tide for 2 years but was then sidelined due to a recurring shoulder injury. He continued his education in Industrial Engineering while working as a co-op at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Army National Guard and began his career with U. S. Navy Civil Service. He was employed for more than 30 years and ended his career as Superintendent of Manufacturing.

In 1959, Max met his wife and lifelong sweetheart, Joyce Miller. They married on July 17, 1959. They set up housekeeping in Pensacola and began raising a family of a daughter and two sons. They remained married for 60+ years.

After retirement from U. S. Navy Civil Service, Max enjoyed a 2nd career working as a manufacturer’s representative with McDaniel Machinery.

Joyce joined Max’s childhood church, McIlwain Presbyterian. They were both active volunteers in McIlwain’s ministries, especially with McIlwain’s high school youth group working with their friend Dan Gale. Max served on the Board of Deacons, specifically active on budget considerations.

Family life during the summer was full of adventure. Family vacations were frequent and provided fodder for humorous stories some of which rivalled any Three Stooges or Chevy Chase movies. A favorite, albeit stressful trip included a very long drive to Texas and Mexico which included summer temperatures, a brown station wagon, three constantly hungry and bickering children, AC goes out and stomach flu for everyone. The trip was phenomenal AND the family made it home safely with a set of bull horns, Alamo souvenirs, painted Mexican pottery, sombreros, a case of Pepto Bismal and the brown station wagon with newly repaired AC.

During another summer, Max and his good friend Bill Buff formed a corporation to build swimming pools in their backyards. They recruited a few other “lucky friends” to join them. And, indeed, this group delivered (in succession) four swimming pools. There were many life lessons during that venture including “don’t let the guy with the backhoe leave until the hole is completely dug otherwise you will be digging it with shovels.” To make that lesson worse, one of the neighborhood kids was watching and gleefully commented, “I told you so.” Fortunately, that was a hard lesson that only needed to be learned once. The new swimming pools were wonderful, and the friendships survived.

After “official working years” ended, Joyce and Max enjoyed travelling all over the world, shamelessly spoiling their grandchildren and entertaining friends and family in their home.

Max is remembered by his family as a loving, hands-on father, faithful husband, devoted family-man and dedicated Christian.

He is remembered by his children for his wisdom, his forgiving nature, his ability to apologize, his appreciation for their talents, as well as their “quirks”, his never-failing encouragement and strong personal ethics. Some of his frequent “pearls of parenting” which have been adopted and repeated frequently by subsequent family members:

• “The two worst things anyone can say about you are ‘you are lazy or you are a liar’. Don’t let it be true.”

• “Everybody has to play it straight. That includes everyone. There’s no other option.”

• And, the fan favorite, a stern but sweetly delivered response to one of his children saying they didn’t like one his decisions, “That’s okay. You don’t need to like it.”

He is remembered by his friends as a loyal, can-do friend who is always there in a pinch.

Max is preceded in death by his wife, Joyce, his parents Albert and LaMerle Baxter and his brother Joe Baxter.

He is survived by his children: daughter Rebecca (Jeffery) Black of St. Augustine; two sons Christopher (Charles) Baxter of Pensacola and Drew Baxter of Foley; grandchildren: Shannon Martin, Max (Bethanie) Black, Hugh “Huey” Baxter and Wallace “Ace” Baxter; niece Cindy (Mark) Cotton, nephew Jay (Missy) Baxter; many other special and beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held at Bayview Fisher-Pou and Memorial Park on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at 9:30 AM followed by a graveside service at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

Bayview Fisher-Pou Chapel, 3351 Scenic Highway is entrusted with arrangements.