POST RETIREMENT:
In 1988 he moved from the Oakhurst area and called a 40 foot converted Greyhound Bus home for
 
6 1/2 years.  He traveled the United States,  Mexico and Canada and was a freelance writer for Family
Motor-coaching Magazine,  Trailer Life Magazine and other food and travel periodicals.  He covered
such events as the Gilroy Garlic Festival,  The Blossom Trail,  numerous air and boat shows as well as
launching a cooking and recipe website "The Gutsy Gourmet".

After leaving Oakhurst,  he stayed for a stint at Casa de Fruta,  a roadside watering hole on California
route 152.  There he and his future wife Vicki Elliott,  produced and performed their melodramas on
weekends.  Buzz,  for a period served as the Public Relations Director for Casa de Fruta,  promoting the
business in the press and throughout the State.

In 1992 Buzz and Vicki sold a melodrama to the "Sawdusters" melodrama theatre in Coquille,  Oregon.
Vicki        Buzz

It was during this time that they ventured up the Oregon Coast to the quaint fishing village of 




BLOCK PARTY  Buzz BAXTER,  "THE GUTSY GOURMET" lends a hand with his talents at the grill and smoker




Florence,  Oregon.  They immediately fell in love with the place and decided to marry and make their
home in Florence.

In October 2, 1992,  Buzz and Vicki were wed in Florence and constructed their first home together.
This was a small home with a very large garage for the 40 foot converted bus. They lived very near the
ocean,  but could not see it.  In 1994,  Vicki and the family pet,  Freddie,  discovered a lot for sale with
a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean.  This of course left only one option and that was to sell the bus
and build a new home.

Vicki became the gardener she had always wanted to be,  landscaping and tending to a very large
naturally landscaped area.  She planted flowers and shrubs that is a showcase for passers-by.  Buzz on
the other hand immersed himself in his  web-sites,  stained glass lamp sculpture,
 encaustic wax painting, and model ships.

PROFESSIONAL:
Dr. Baxter practiced in Oakhurst, California for 18 years.  He was Oakhurst's first dentist.  He was the
resident dentist for the Ahwahnee Sanitorium for patients afflicted with tuberculosis,  the resident
dentist for the Seventh Day Adventist home for thalidomide babies,  and also served as a regional
consultant for the California Medi-Cal program. He belongs to the American Dental Association,  The
California Dental Association,  The Fresno-Madera Dental Society,  and The Academy of General
Dentistry.

He developed a professional center, Creekside Professional Village in 1967.  He retired from the
practice of dentistry in 1981.  He later filled in for a terminally ill colleague's practice in 1983-1984.

SOCIO-POLITICAL:
He immediately became immersed in the social and political workings of the then small community
(2000 population, now near 25,000).  He served in various offices of the Oakhurst Chamber Of Commerce
culminating as it's president in 1966.  He was awarded the title of Oakhurst Citizen Of The Year in
1966,  Who's Who In The Golden State and served as a director of the Golden Chain Council.  He served
as a Scoutmaster,  Chairman of Sierra Mountaineer Days (4 years),  Chairman and founder of the Bass
Lake Boat Club,  Chairman and founder of the Yosemite High School Boosters,  Chairman and cofounder
of the Oakhurst Tennis club,  Yosemite High School formation committee,  Sierra Ambulance Service
formation committee.

He served on the Madera County Grand Jury,  The Madera County Chamber of Commerce Board of
Directors,  Madera County Health Planning Commission,  Madera County Advisory Planning Committee
Chairman.  He was elected to the locally owned 49er Savings and Loan Board Of Directors.  He was
selected as the Grand Marshall of the 1984 Mountaineer Days,  He was active with the Golden Chain
Theatre as an actor and served on the Board Of Directors.  He was instrumental in the theater's
formation in 1968 as a project of the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce.  In 1976 he donated the 



130 year old historic Laramore/Lyman house to the Sierra Historical Sites Association.  The home was
moved to their Fresno Flats Historic Park and became the centerpiece of the park.

Late in 1963 he closed the Clovis practice and moved permanently to Oakhurst.

Early in 1963 he opened another practice in the small Sierra Nevada community of Oakhurst;
(population 726).

In June of 1962 Dr. Harold H. Baxter graduated with a Doctor Of Dental Surgery degree and opened his
General Dentistry practice in Clovis, California.



In September of 1958 he was admitted to the prestigious College Of Physicians And Surgeons as a

 
Freshman student in Dentistry.  During his dental studies,  he worked as a hod carrier with the Hod
Carriers Union Local 7, of San Mateo, California:  He also worked as a bartender and chef at various San
Francisco Bay Area Bistros and Bars to supplement his funds for his schooling

In September of 1955 he was admitted to California State University,  Fresno - GO DOGS!
as a pre-dental student.

In January of 1954 he was employed by the advertising department of the Lorillard Tobacco Company.

He served at the Government Island Training Center Athletic Department,  Aboard the USCG Ship Taney;
an 83 foot patrol boat at Monterey, California;  the Monterey Bay Lifeboat Station;  The USCG Ship
Yocona in Fields Landing, California;  and the Humbolt Bay Lifeboat Station in Somoa, California.  It was
in the Coast Guard that he attained his nickname "Buzz",  which may be mentioned here now and again.
He was honorably discharged in December of 1953 as a 2nd Class Petty Officer (commisaryman).

He attended San Francisco State College in 1950 and played football for one semester before enlisting
in the United States Coast Guard for a 3 year enlistment. To help pay for his schooling,  he worked for
Campbell Bros. & Sunbeam Toastmaster in the shipping department.

He had not yet attained the maturity to buckle down to college studies,  so he left Reedley  College and
went to work for an uncle who owned a resort called California Hot Springs,  in Eastern Tulare County,
California.  There he acted as life guard at the warm springs pool,  did maintenance  work and in
general sowed his wild oats.

In 1949 he entered Reedley College as a freshman to major in Business Administration and to play
football.

Attended Fowler Elementary Schools beginning in 1936 and graduated from Fowler Union High School
in 1949.

In high school he was active in student government,  school publications,  and participated in
interscholastic football,  track,  and swimming.

Stricken with Poliomyelitis in 1933 and quarantined for 6 months at Fresno County Hospital.



Born in Fresno, California on September 26, 1931 at Burnett Sanitarium to Gladys and Avedis Baxter of
Fowler, California.