Tomelyn "Tomi" Baker Rawls

Tomelyn Baker Rawls, known as “Tomi”, age 80, of Tampa, Florida, passed away in Tampa on June 9, 2023. Tomi was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1943 and was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan by her parents Hollis and Betsy Baker. She attended East Grand Rapids High and graduated from Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. While growing up in Michigan along with her sister Susy Baker Flach, Tomi enjoyed skiing at Boyne Mountain and racing her Nipper sailboat at Macatawa Bay Yacht Club in Holland, MI. Tomi graduated from Hollins College in Virginia in 1965 after which she moved to Washington D.C., where she met her first husband, Joseph Dixon III. The couple moved to Tampa in 1968 and had two daughters, Teal Dixon and Ashley Dixon Danzi. In 1988 she married Fitzhugh “Fitz” Rawls and the couple had many happy years and adventures together until her passing.

Tomi was a passionate and talented tennis player who played for many years at Tampa Yacht and Country Club and in the Sun Coast, Interbay, and USTA Ladies Tennis Leagues. She worked as a travel agent at Bowen Travel, and through that she renewed her love of skiing and became a trip organizer for the Tampa Bay Ski Club. Tomi and Fitz led ski trips to resorts throughout the U.S. and Europe for over 20 years. In addition to leading trips, Tomi and Fitz’s own zest for travel led them to destinations all over the world including Vietnam, India, Croatia, and New Zealand. Tomi often split her summers between visits to Maine with her sister, kayaking and hiking in Arcadia National Park and eating fudge at every opportunity, and time on the beach at Manasota Key, walking the beach in search of shark teeth and participating in tarpon fishing tournaments with some of her dearest friends.

Tomi will be remembered as a loving and generous grandmother, a spectacular sister, and a vibrant, kind, and fun-loving wife, mother and friend who passed on her love of travel and adventure to her children and grandchildren. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile and her sense of humor. She loved dancing, the music of Motown, and reading books while snuggling with her many dachshunds. Tomi truly lived and was truly loved.

Tomi is survived by her husband, Fitz Rawls, her sister Susy Flach, her daughters, Teal Dixon (Chris Howard) and Ashley Dixon Danzi (Mark), her daughter-in-law Johna Rawls, her grandchildren Will, Caroline, and Hunter Danzi and Fitzhugh and Madeline Rawls, her nephew Anderson Flach and her niece Melanie Flach.

Tomi’s family would like to thank the staff of Canterbury Tower and Health Center, the staff of Concierge Care, and her amazing caregiver Wanda Brown for the wonderful and loving care Tomi received over the past few years. Thanks also to the ER and ICU staff at HCA Florida South Tampa for their care and kindness. A Celebration of Life for Tomi will be held on August 1, 2023, from 4-6 pm at Tampa Yacht and Country Club. You may leave condolences to the family by visiting www.blountcurrymacdill.com. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Alzheimer's Association.