James Robert Baxter

On Wednesday, January 18, 2023, James Robert Baxter, The Singing Cowboy and husband to Cassandra, passed away peacefully in Houston, Texas. He was born on July 31, 1982 to Roy and Robbin Baxter in Great Falls, Montana. He enjoyed a life full of travel and singing and found the love of his life at 22 years old in 2004. While studying with Norman Bailey in the Grand Tetons, Idaho he was delivering the mail when he met Cassandra Black, who was coming to study with Kristine Ciesinski, Norman’s wife. Later that day Jim told Kristine that, “he was going to marry that girl.” In 2014 he married Cassandra on the Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia and, in total, they enjoyed 19 years together. Their unconditional love for each other was apparent to all. He was a gentleman and a scholar and fully dedicated to his family, friends, his dog Jasper, and most importantly to him, to God. He was a man of great faith, prayed daily, and almost always carried a rosary.

Jim’s knowledge of world history and current events made it unnecessary for his friends to use Google. If you needed to know what an object was, or how something worked, Jim knew the answer. He loved to cook for others and sit on the porch, talking or not, for hours. At a very young age he identified himself as a classical singer who was dubbed, “The Singing Cowboy,” by local newspapers. He won multiple state, regional, and national titles including: N.A.T.S. Best High School Male Voice in the State of Oklahoma and the national M.T.N.A. Vocal Division Award. His high school voice teacher was quoted in the Great Falls Tribune newspaper saying, “Sometimes I think he’s 17 going on 40.” When Jim was asked about his singing and success he said, “The voice is just a gift from God, it belongs to God… it is strictly a spiritual thing. It is for me anyhow.” Jim went on to study with luminaries in the opera world, graduated from University of Houston’s Moore’s School of Music, and taught hundreds of students. Jim was a shepherd to all in his life and took great care of his friends and neighbors.

A memorial service for Jim will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 12:00 PM at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, 11612 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77024, with a reception to follow at the church.

In lieu of flowers please send donations for final expenses, donate to support the music ministry of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Music Ministry, or donate to St. John the Divine Episcopal, Houston.

• Link to donate to Baxter/Black Family - https://venmo.com/u/Dr-Cassandra-Black

• Link to donate to MDPC Music Ministry - http://mdpc.onlinegiving.org/donate

• Link to donate to St. John the Divine - https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=90372&f=10