Obituary of Peter Bruce Baade

Sadly, on the 21st of August 2020, Peter B Baade died at home after a long illness with his loving wife by his side. He was 84 years old. Born in Portland, Maine on August 18th 1936, Peter was the oldest child & only son of Niels Baade & Hildreth Atkinson Baade. A graduate of Deering High School, Peter had numerous and at times hair-raising adventures while growing up in Portland. After high school, Peter earned a Bachelor Degree in Political Science from Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey, and after graduation he was employed as a Social Worker for the state of New Jersey. He took a year off to attend the Mount Erie Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia and later went on to earn a Master Degree in Social Work from Syracuse University. On March 24th, 1961 he married his “Guiding Light”, Ragnhild and returned to Maine in 1965 to make their permanent home in Edgecomb. In 1970, he became the first Director of Family Planning for the state of Maine and remained in that position for three years. He was employed by the Maine Department of Human Services until his retirement. Peter also served in the Army Reserves and was a long-time member of the Water of Life Lutheran Church in Newcastle. Peter will be remembered for his love of his home state and his dogs, his empathy for those lost in society’s shadow and his extremely dry sense of humor. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Ragnhild Spiegel Baade, his daughter Sanna L Baade, son-in-law Kevin A Schoen, his three sisters Nicky Chittick and husband Tom, Jane Plourde and husband Richard, Leigh Baade and partner Brad Strauss, along with his nieces, nephews, grand nieces, and grand nephews. The family thanks Beacon Hospice for the kind and loving care that Peter received. A gathering of family and friends to be held at a later date. Donations can be made in memory of Peter to: Water of Life Lutheran Church or Brunswick Animal Shelter PO Box 206, Newcastle, ME 04553 190 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME 04011