Don was an amazing person. He lived next door to me since we were 12 years old. He and I were part of a gang of scraggly teenagers who hung out together and a bond was formed among us that lasted a lifetime. Numerous backpacking and cross country skiing trips, as well as basketball, baseball, and football games were the source of many great memories. Even at a very young age we all knew Don was special and destined to excel in whatever he found interesting. Moreover he was a tremendous friend. The year before he passed my wife and I met up with Don at some tony restaurant in Georgetown and he insisted on picking up the tab while regaling us with funny stories about some of his work; Free Willy comes to mind. It was just one of those perfect evenings that I’ll never forget. God, I miss him.

Hard to believe Don has been gone for 2 years. My former colleague, Lorie, and I often talk about what a great boss Don was at Perkins Coie. He’s one of those people you just don’t forget.

Don is still busy in our thoughts and memories. His name was mentioned in a meeting the other day, with deep appreciation for his work toward saving the West Bay Club on Sand Island. And hearing his name, my heart just drops: the grief is tangible and very real.

I miss him dearly. I met him just a few years ago and had the chance to collaborate with him on the Gulf of Mexico Sister Sanctuaries project. We were just remembering Don a month ago at the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute conference. He is gone, but his work to support a better future for the ocean is priceless and lives on.

All the boys from Old Lyme have been engaged in a prolonged online toast for the Big B. We all miss him enormously. Just reliving the long, lazy conversations sitting along the seawall at night. There's just nothing in the world like an old friend, and it just suck to high heaven to lose one so early.

Somehow, it has been a year. The AIHPC met last night. We rarely have a meeting without mentioning Don, and how we wish he were here to shed light on  a thorny issue. We are so grateful to Perkins Coie for helping us keep our ship afloat, and to move us forward during this past year.

I first met Don and Phebe when I interviewed to become their architect for their Virginia home.  As I walked through their home with them, we quickly realized we shared a love of the Apostle Islands.  Besides working together locally, we would get together for meals and visits in Bayfield or on Madeline Island most summers.  Don was one of the most positive people I've ever met - I will miss his love of art architecture - and am sending deepest condolences to Phebe and Christopher.

Don crossing a glacial outflow stream in Iceland.

It is never goodbye- it is see you later. I will see Don with Peter and Mary every time I visit Sand Island. See you later...Lynne

I am a law partner of Don and am grateful that he invited me to get involved in my first animal rights case.  We represented equine experts and academics pro bono in a cutting-edge animal rights case in Oregon involving this severely neglected horse.  It was my first case working with Don, and his dedicated to animal rights and knowledge of the law in this area was astounding.  The good news is that the horse is now being well-cared for and has overcome many health issues.  The case is still being litigated in the appellate courts, and Don's legacy is manifest in this case.  My very best to his family.  Julia Markley, Portland, Oregon

We, the guys from Old Lyme Shores, spent a lot of time hiking and skiing with Don over the years. He always added something special to our adventures, and he’s going to be badly missed whenever we think about those trips or plan something new. He was a great friend.

Don, welcoming visitors to Sand Island/Shaw Point in July, 2021

Don, Phebe, and Phebe's mother, Beverly at their island retreat.  We got to know them because of their love for Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands.  We always wanted to see  more of them during their summer visits, but understood their need for island time.   Although our connection was through family,  we admired Don's important work in environmental law and as a leader in preserving Apostle Islands heritage. We will miss him more than we can say. 
 Susan Larsen

I got to know Don through his connection to Bayfield and the Apostle Islands, but mostly through our sons.  Christopher and Forrest became good friends and the four of us went to movies and attended basketball and baseball games together.  This photo was from one of our trips to the Metrodome to see the Twins play the Red Sox.  The games were a highlight of the summer and a fond memory.  Don was a great dad.
Neil Howk

Don (right) in recent years at Shaw Point, Sand Island, Wisconsin. He stands with John Chapple and Bob Mackreth. Don was instrumental in starting the Apostle Islands Historic Preservation Conservancy. Don married into an old Sand Island family and became a champion for Apostle Island region causes. His untiring dedication to whatever  he undertook was an inspiration to us all.  

He will be missed.

I was Don's assistant between 2004-2009. Working with Don was really a special privilege, so many memories. I learned a lot from Don and so enjoyed my frequent interactions with his clients and colleagues.  I want to extend my sincere condolences to Pheobe and Christopher.  May you find comfort in knowing Don truly made this world a better place.           Judy Casey (Perkins Coie)

My deepest condolences for your overwhelming loss. I have known Don for about 10 years through his marine mammal advocacy and policy work. His generosity, selflessness, conviction, and truly relentless commitment to bettering the future of this planet for all beings was unparalleled. I have never known, and never will know, anyone who embodies the best of humanity quite like Don. He supported and mentored so many incredible animal and environmental champions, and I was lucky enough to have been one of them. He will be deeply missed and I know his legacy will live on through the work of those whose lives he has touched. Don was not only a colleague, he was a close friend, and I know his family was so important to him. I can only imagine how difficult this time is for you all. I am sending love, healing and prayers. 

Hiking the Nova Scotia coastline. Dreaming of the day we would watch captive whales return to their rightful home. 

Don and I (in the blue jacket) at an October 2017 workshop in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

I first met Don in 1993, at the beginning of my professional career in marine mammal advocacy. We collaborated on this or that over the years, but I had been working closely with him on several projects for the past 10 years. He was always there, with a wise word or encouragement. I will miss his calm pragmatism more than I can say. I offer my deepest condolences to the family and to all of us in marine mammal policy who have lost a pillar of our community - not just in terms of his knowledge, expertise, and integrity, but in terms of his unfailing support for our endeavors. 

I offer this anecdote, which occurred the Friday before he passed (he was in the hospital by then), to bring a smile to our faces despite our grief: I had gotten two missed calls in quick succession from an unknown number. I called back, having no idea who it was (I had another number in my phone as Don’s cell).

When the (very gruff) voice said, “Hello?” I replied, “Hello, this is Naomi Rose. You called me twice.” The voice replied, even more gruffly, “Really? That’s weird, cuz I called you like six times!”

I had NO idea what was going on, so I said, a bit more pointedly, “Who IS this?” I totally didn’t recognize his voice, as he had a cold. He finally gets to the point. “It’s Don – that was a butt dial thing.”

I will always be grateful that this funny exchange was one of my last interactions with him. He was working almost up to his last moment, and he was Don to the end.

Don with clockwise Sarah Reiter, Tim Eichenberg, Mike Sutton, and Michelle Bender at a southern sea otter recovery event.

 While I initially worked for Don & Phebe in a professional capacity as their interior designer, it wasn't long before we developed a friendship that has lasted through the years.  Don never lost sight of the perspective of others, and I admired his ability to be thoughtful and  compassionate, regardless of the situation at hand. His love for his family was profound and along with so many others, I will miss him greatly.

I don't know if it's the case, but a quick look in my digital photo library and it's sad that in the 24 years that I knew and worked with Don, there might not be a photo of our time interacting on mostly sea otter conservation issues, but some other marine mammal stuff.  I met Don first in 1998 when I started as the Science Director for Friends of the Sea Otter (FSO).  Don was very close to the late co-founder of FSO, Margaret Owings, and continued FSO long after Margaret's death, mostly with Don holding that organization together with everything he could do to keep it going. Then when I joined Defenders of Wildlife in 2001 as the marine program associate, I continued to work closely with Don over the next nearly 11 years.  While Defenders had its own legal staff, I continued to work closely with Don because of his vast involvement with sea otter legal and conservation issues.  Then, through Don's help I rejoined FSO as the Advocacy Director in 2012 and then spent another 2.5  years with FSO.  Don did so much for my career and keeping me involved in sea otter conservation issues for 17 years.  Don was a huge force, as everyone knows, in marine mammal legal and conservation issues with a special affinity and connection to sea otters.  I'm in shock, sad, and he will be sorely missed by all of us.  

Don Baur and members of the Animal Law Society. Celebratory dinner following 2021 symposium at Vermont Law and Graduate School. VLGS Professor Delcianna Winders in foreground on right. 

Don taught me nearly everything I know about the law and how to use it to protect marine species and the places those species call home. He believed in my dream even when I didn't -after having babies and moving to rural Vermont-and instilled in me a sense of duty when I doubted myself. He taught a generation the law, but more importantly, by his example, he taught us to always lift others up. He always had his mentees in mind when he manifested opportunities, or opportunities came along. Oh and how those opportunities helped so many of us launch and get settled in our careers! He delighted in seeing us shine forward. It is because of Don that I have a true calling and am surrounded by smart, bold, and kind colleagues and friends. He is the heart and soul of the ocean community. We have the watch now, Don. 

We were born on the same day, in the same year, in the same city, so when I received news that he was gone, a part of me went missing as well. Everyone liked Don, everyone admired what he did with his life, and I’m willing to guess that most, like me, wish they had the chance to spend  more time with him. He was a difficult guy to pry away from his mission, whether it was law school or the environmental law that made his life such a generous and important one. So it was too easy to say we’ll get together next month, next year. The one carrot I found that could usually pry him away from his responsibilities was a hiking trip. I know he loved nature, but I also think he wanted an excuse to wear that funny green hat of his. I doubt he ever wore it to the office. I hope not. Anyway, here’s two pics of those cherished hiking trips and that funny green hat.  

I've known Don since his days as a student at Penn Law School. He was my intern at the National Wildlife Federation in 1977. It was obvious he was destined to become a highly skilled lawyer with a strong social conscious and a kind and  generous spirit that made him such an excellent mentor and inspiration to all who came into contact with him.  Through his teaching, scholarship, professional activities, client counselling, and pro bono advocacy he has left an indelible mark on the field of environmental law and in particular the conservation of the world's oceans and marine resources.
He will be greatly missed but may his memory be a blessing to all.     

Cousin Don's kindness, compassion and positive energy developed very early and were trademarks of the loving Baur family.  

We were born just a couple days apart, and as toddlers played together often along with a stable of Kokoszka cousins (Don-nie, Jim-mie, Lou-ie, Stev-ie, and 2 Bill-ies).  We had fun. 

Don and I had many great memories of shared experiences throughout our adolescence (Old Lyme, Camp Claire, high school soccer and family gatherings).   We caught up with many of those memories when we reconnected last year.   I feel blessed to have reconnected with him.   

My deepest condolences to Phoebe and Christopher.   


I’m so sad to hear of Don,’s passing.  I will look back fondly at our decades of working together on marine mammal issues beginning in Alaska and beyond.

One of my favorite memories of him is when I was late for a DC conference call with him while I was working at Friends of Sea Otters in Ca.  I stopped on my drive in to pick up a tiny fawn to help it up a hill to join its mom.  When I explained my delay, he said well, we’d just have to start calling the group Friends of Fawn from now on, quintessential Don, so funny.

I’m already missing his friendship, kindness, and brilliant mind, but also taking comfort in knowing all of the wild ones and places that he worked so hard to protect are ensured a future because of him!  

My sincerest condolences to his family and gratitude for sharing him with us over all these years.

Cindy Lowry

So sorry to hear of Don‘s passing. Some of my favorite memories involve Don’s phenomenal race times in the quarter mile in high school as well as sharing a medal with Don for a state relay race. He definitely carried all of us with his phenomenal talent. My all-time favorite memory was when Don and John Grzybek decorated my wife and my honeymoon car after our wedding. Imagine not only the difficulty of getting inside the car with so many streamers, but the embarrassing props that they left both inside and outside the car! Though we lost touch, the memories during those very important years through high school and college live forever. 
Dennis Cashman , Bridgewater, NH

Phoebe/Chris - very sorry for your loss.  Hope you are comforted by friends and family that knew how kind and positive he was.  I remember him fondly and his buoyant sprit on our misadventures whether it be cross country skiing, backpacking or trekking in Iceland.  I also admired the work he did with the Dept. of Interior and later with the private firm.  During some of his work our paths crossed in common environmental causes.  His wit and wisdom will be sorely missed. 

L- R - Don, John Grizbeck and Don's former professor from Trinity  College; somewhere in Iceland.

L-R John Grizbeck, Don and me on our Icelandic trek.  Brave mountaineers.

I’m in shock. Just heard the news about Don’s passing. Don and I worked together at Perkins Coie  in the late 90s and early 2000s . He was a kind, compassionate human and I had the utmost respect for him. My sincerest condolences to his family. 

Jennifer Miller Carney

I just learned of Don’s passing.  He was such a wonderful leader.  I will always remember his sage advice.  My heartfelt condolences to his family and colleagues.   Ken Cooper—Kent CT

OBITUARY

Donald Christian Baur

October 31, 1954 – December 15, 2022

Demaine Funeral Home

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