James A. Baar

James A. Baar, 92, of Providence, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 3, 2021.  He was the son of the late Adolph Woolner Baar and the late Marguerite Rascovar Baar. He was the grandson of Albert Frank, a New York advertising pioneer, and Countess Angelica von Wurttemberg.  He leaves his devoted wife of 74 years, Beverly Hodge Baar, who was the love of his life.  He was the father of the late Theodore H. Baar. Born in New York City, Jim graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York in 1949, majoring in philosophy. He began his newspaper career at The Record in Troy, New York where he “specialized in reporting obits, church notices and the occasional arson.” He “graduated” to United Press, becoming a reporter and editor in UPI’s Washington Bureau.  He was later the Senior Editor of Missiles & Rockets magazine. In his business career, Jim was the Chief Operating Officer of four major public relations agencies: Hill & Knowlton Advanced Technology, Gray-Strayton, Creamer Dickson Basford and Lewis & Gilman. He was the Corporate Communications Officer for Computervision, the Managing Director of General Electric’s European Communications Operations and the Manager of a number of GE public relations operations in the United States. He was the President and Managing Consultant of OmegacomCommunications in Providence. Jim wrote numerous books, including “Polaris!: The Concept & Creation of a New & Mighty Weapon”, “Combat Missileman”, “Spacecraft & Missiles of the World” (all with William E. Howard), “The Great Free Enterprise Gambit”, “The Careful Voters Dictionary of Language Pollution (Understanding Willietalk and Other Spinspeak)”, “Spinspeak II: The Dictionary of Language Pollution”, “Ultimate Severance”, “The Real Thing and Other Tales”, “A King for America”, and “But Wait! There’s More! [maybe]” (with Donald E. Creamer).  His most recent book, “News Stories from the Choirs of Angels (Hinge Notes in Parlous Times)”, was published in August.  Jim lectured on communications and the plague of “spinspeak” as an adjunct professor at Northeastern University and as a guest lecturer at numerous colleges and universities, including New York University, Babson College, Boston University, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the State University of New York. In 2019, Who’s Who presented Jim with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award for his more than 60 years as an author, public relations executive and journalist. He covered the politics and technology of the Cold War at its height as well as the Space Race from its inception. Jim was an active member of the Public Relations Society of America, the National Investor Relations Institute, the American Counselors Academy, the National Press Club, and the Overseas Press Club.  His memberships also have included the Board of the English-Speaking Union in Boston, the Overseers Board of the New England Academy of Music, the Union Club in Boston and the Hope and University Clubs in Providence. Jim was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Church in Providence.  Services and burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Union College. Arrangements entrusted to the J.F. Skeffington Funeral Home, 925 Chalkstone Avenue, Providence. For online condolences kindly visit: skeffingtonfuneralhome.com

View/Sign the Guestbook