A house RESOLUTION

to EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE PASSING OF Charles Burke Baxley OF Kershaw COUNTY AND TO EXTEND THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS LARGE AND LOVING FAMILY AND HIS MANY FRIENDS.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives was saddened to learn of the death of Charles Burke Baxley at the age of seventy-two on March 30, 2024. Born on March 25,1952, he was the son of the late Daniel Carlyle Baxley, Sr., and Kathryn Wise Baxley of Camden and was reared in a loving home with three siblings Lynn Doster, Ann Carpenter, and Daniel Baxley; and

Whereas, Mr. Baxley earned a bachelor's degree in 1974 from the University of South Carolina in political science and a juris doctorate in 1976. He founded and practiced law for forty-five years with the firm of Baxley, Pratt & Wells, P.A., now Baxley, Wells, and Benson, P.A.; and

Whereas, he served over fifteen years as a judge for the City of Camden and taught business law as adjunct professor of law for Limestone College and American Management College. A commercial pilot, he held the rank of Captain in the United States Air Force Reserve; and

Whereas, he served as chairman of the Kershaw County Vocational Education Foundation, Inc., Board of Trustees for over twenty-five years and of the Kershaw County Public Defender Corporation; as an officer and member of the Executive Board of the Indian Waters Council and Boy Scouts of America.  He served as president of the Lugoff Optimist Club and the Kershaw County Bar Association; and

Whereas, Mr. Baxley served as a member of the Congaree Land Trust and Southern Revolutionary War Institute's advisory boards and eight years as trustee and as chairman of the Kershaw County School Board.  He founded and served on the Kershaw County Education Foundation and as chairman of the Battle of Camden Preservation Project Advisory Council. He was honored with the Silver Beaver award from the Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Palmetto from the State of South Carolina; and

Whereas, he edited and published Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution, an online magazine, and gave battlefield tours and military staff rides.  He organized a field trip group known as the Corps of Discovery to obscure Revolutionary War sites in the South, conferences on Revolutionary War topics, an archaeological exploration of the Hobkirk Hill battlefield, and a Revolutionary War Roundtable to discuss the war in the South.  His article on Lowcountry General Nathanael Greene was featured in an edition of Army History magazine. He helped the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust to map twenty Revolutionary War battlefields in the Carolinas and to plan new battlefield parks at Camden, Blackstock's Plantation, and Moncks Corner, and the Liberty Trail; and

Whereas, Mr. Baxley edited books on the Southern Campaign, established the Mapping Congress to identify and protect historic resources, participated in ETV documentaries on the Revolutionary War in the South, and assisted ETV with the preparation of materials about the state's history for middle schoolers. He founded the South Carolina American Revolutionary War Trust to preserve research, documents, and literature for future generations of citizens and scholars; and

Whereas, upon retiring from his law practice in 2021, he was appointed by Governor McMaster to serve as chairman of the South Carolina Sestercentennial Commission to guide the celebrations for the state's two hundred fiftieth anniversary. He focused on making the state's significant contributions in the Revolutionary War available, interesting, and accessible to all; and

Whereas, together with his beloved wife, Judy Carol Duncan, he reared two fine children, B. Caroline Chambers and the late Burke Miller Wise Baxley. He was blessed with the affection of three loving grandchildren: Sage Skye, River Gavin, and Cedar Aurora of Brevard, North Carolina. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, express their profound sorrow upon the passing of Charles Burke Baxley of Kershaw County and extend their deepest sympathy to his large and loving family and his many friends.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Charles Burke Baxley.

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