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Ret. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Randolph Baxter remembered
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: September 22, 2023
The first African American appointed to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Judge Randolph Baxter quickly made a name for himself as a knowledgeable hard-working jurist, who treated everyone with respect.
“Judge Baxter was revered for his cheerful disposition and the kindness he showed to others,” said retired U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Arthur Harris, who served on the bankruptcy court bench with Judge Baxter for nine years.
“Despite experiencing discrimination firsthand, Judge Baxter maintained a soft-spoke, optimistic temperament,” said Harris. “He made a point of remembering the names of everyone connected with the court-clerk staff, security officers and custodians, plus everyone who worked at his regular coffee shop.”
But that’s only part of his legacy.
As a member of the Akron community, he made numerous contributions to the law school, nonprofits and his church.
While his schedule was hectic, his daughter Melissa Gooden said he was always there for his family.
“He was a very loving father,” said Gooden. “He was always around to give me good advice, even when I was a rough teenager. He had a way of knowing when something was going wrong in my life and he found a way to get it out of me.
“As an adult, he guided me through an important career change,” said Gooden, now an intervention specialist for the I Promise School in Akron. “He was very close with all his grandkids. They loved being around him.”
On July 31, the retired judge and longtime Akron resident passed away at the age of 76.
“My husband was a kind and compassionate man,” said his wife Yvonne Baxter. “He was very loving and a good father, who was involved with all of his children’s activities when they were younger.
“Randy was very well thought of in the community,” said Yvonne. “He did a lot to help others and gave back whenever and wherever he could.
“He mentored many young people who wanted to be lawyers or judges over the years, including several nieces and nephews who have since gone into the law.”
Akron attorney Edward L. Gilbert, president emeritus of the Akron-Canton Barristers Association said Baxter was a “one of a kind,” person, who will be missed by his family, friends and colleagues.
“I knew him for a little over 40 years and I was always impressed with him,” said Gilbert.
“Judge Baxter did a great deal to help the law school and the legal community, particularly African American lawyers. He was one of the first people to support the Akron-Canton Barristers Association, serving as president and providing guidance that was extremely helpful to the organization.
“He and I were on many committees together at The University of Akron School of Law. In fact he was the main reason I started donating and got involved in the law school.
“Judge Baxter was an asset to so many organizations,” said Gilbert. “The respectful and upbeat way in which he lived his life is something that all of us in the legal profession should strive to emulate.”
Born on Aug. 15, 1946 in Columbia, Tennessee, he was one of Lenon and Willie Hood Baxter’s 12 children.
Baxter received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Tuskegee University in Alabama in 1967.
While an undergraduate, he joined the Army ROTC and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army after completing his first year at The University of Akron School of Law.
During his time in the Army, Baxter was a tank platoon leader in Vietnam and Cambodia with the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment. He later achieved the rank of captain and commanded a tank company before resigning his commission in 1971. He received a Bronze Star as well as other unit citations for his combat service.
Upon returning to Akron, he took a job as a salary administration analyst at BFGoodrich, completing his law degree during the evenings at The University of Akron.
In 1973, he became courts planner for the Summit County Criminal Justice Commission. Three years later, he opened his own practice in Akron, simultaneously serving as deputy director of public service under former Akron Mayor John Ballard.
Baxter then spent eight years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, including serving as chief of the appellate section.
He married his wife Yvonne in 1980.
“Randy was a member of my father’s church in Akron (Macedonia Baptist Church) and he knew two of my brothers and my sister in California,” said Yvonne. “He saw me at church and called my brother to ask if I was available, and my brother told him I was.
“We had both been married before,” said Yvonne. “I had three children and he had one. He treated my children as if they were his own. We had a very good life together. Later, after he retired we traveled a lot. We recently took a cruise with three of our four children and six of our seven grandchildren.”
In 1985, Baxter was appointed as a U.S. bankruptcy judge for the Northern District of Ohio.
While he primarily heard cases in Cleveland, he also presided over matters in Akron, Canton, Toledo and Youngstown. He was also a visiting judge in Delaware, New York, Tennessee, Michigan and Florida.
He served on the bench for 26 years, including four years as chief judge, retiring in August 2011.
From 1989 to 1999, Baxter was also an adjunct professor at Akron Law and taught at Kent State University’s College of Business from 1974 through 1978.
Baxter is a former president of The University of Akron National Alumni Board.
He received Akron Law’s John R. Quine Award as an outstanding adjunct professor for the academic year 1992-93 and in 1999 he was given the Outstanding Alumni Award from the law alumni association.
The Judge Randolph Baxter Scholarship has been established in his honor and the university created a named professorship for Akron Law Professor and Dean Emeritus Martin H. Belsky.
“Judge Baxter was a member of the search committee when I interviewed for dean in 2007,” said Belsky.
“We hit it off right away and when I got the job and was asked what title I would like to hold, I said I wanted to be the Randolph Baxter Professor of Law if he would agree to it, which he did,” said Belsky. “I no longer hold the title but it will continue to be a part of his legacy at the law school.
“Judge Baxter was a very straightforward, smart and thoughtful individual, especially when it came to dealing with relationships with people. He treated everyone equally and did not let religion or education define or influence the way he dealt with a person.
“We continued to have a relationship after I stepped down as dean,” said Belsky. “We shared a common interest in the law school, as we were both active in school activities, me as a professor and he as an alumni leader. We also shared some background as first-generation practicing attorneys.”
In 1996, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals appointed Baxter as a charter member of its Bankruptcy Appellate Panel.
Baxter has served on the boards of Tuskegee University, Lake Erie College, Cleveland State University Foundation, Blossom Music Center, Leadership Cleveland, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, the Federal Bar Association (Cleveland chapter), the Akron Urban League, the Akron NAACP, Western Reserve Legal Services, the Western Reserve Historical Society, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Akron Community Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America Great Trail Council and The House of the Lord, where he was a member for over 30 years.
He was also a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Akron Bar Foundation, the American and Federal bar associations and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
After retiring in 2011, he continued to sit on the board of Emmanuel Christian Academy and completed one term as president of AARP Ohio.
Some of his other awards include the Ohio Governor’s Judicial Leadership Citation, the U.S. Department of Justice Special Achievement Award and the Federal Executive Board’s Distinguished Veterans Award.
He was also recognized as a 50+ member of his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Inc.
In addition to traveling with his family, Judge Baxter enjoyed biking, fishing, and especially golfing.
He was laid to rest on Aug. 10 at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery.
He’s survived by his wife Yvonne; children Mark (Leigh) Gooden, Kimberly Baxter-Lee, Scott (Kara) Gooden and Melissa Gooden; seven grandchildren; sisters-in-law Louise Baxter, Beverly Baxter, Paulette Walker and Janice Kennerly; brothers-in-law Dr. Ronald (Monica) Williams and Drs. Michael (Diana) Williams and many special nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Lou Willie (Al) Green, Lulabell (Palmer) Joyce and Mattie Mae Baxter and his brothers Howard Baxter, Lenon Baxter Jr., Joseph Baxter, Pillow Baxter, John Baxter and Charles Edward Baxter.