Robert Wayne Baxter

Born August 5, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois, Rob grew up in Michigan and Illinois. As a young boy, Rob discovered his passion for swimming, becoming a member of a local swim team and then the team at Naperville Central High School in Illinois where he graduated in 1986. His swimming abilities led to scholarships to attend Lincoln College and then Vincennes University where he earned a trip to swim at the NCAA championships in 1988. After completing his associate’s degree, Rob transferred to the University of Illinois where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1991.

Rob then embarked on what would become a very successful career as a corporate recruiter for several major corporations. In 2001, Rob and his first wife, Lisa, began their family, welcoming son Nate and, later, daughters Payton and Lindsay. Rob passed his love of swimming on to all three of his children, often telling people that he taught them to swim before they could even walk. For years, he spent almost every weekend hauling the kids to swim meets, proudly cheering from the stands and relishing in their achievements. Watching his children swim brought him some of the greatest joys of his life.

In later years, Rob reconnected with an old high school acquaintance, Tracy, and she soon became his “partner in crime”. They shared a love of sports, particularly their mutual alma mater, the University of Illinois, and Rob’s beloved Chicago Bears, as well a passion for craft beer. They often planned trips based upon which and how many breweries they could visit while there. In the 2024, they relocated to Florida to live out the rest of their years together in the sunshine, working, traveling, and enjoying time together with their kids as a newly blended family.

Rob was a beloved son, father, husband, brother, uncle, and friend to so many. His larger than life personality made him hard to forget by anyone who had the opportunity to meet him. Usually the biggest guy in the room at 6’5”, he was enormously funny and not at all afraid to say exactly what he felt. But despite his somewhat intimidating stature and bold personality, Rob had the softest, biggest, kindest heart. Never ashamed to shed a tear, he loved his people deeply and was devoted beyond measure to those he loved.

Rob is survived by his wife, Tracy (Haaland) Cowan; son Nathaniel, daughters Payton and Lindsay and their mother Lisa (Polishak) Baxter; mother Jo Ann; step-sons Jack and Max Cowan; brother John; niece Sarah Grant and many other extended family members and dear friends.

Rob is preceded in death by his father Wayne Baxter.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions in Rob’s name to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).