William "Bill" Baab, Jr.

Augusta, GA -William Henry Baab Jr., 90, beloved husband of Beatrice Ruth Sudrabin Baab for almost 60 years, passed away Saturday, December 20, 2025.

Mr. Baab was born Jan. 29, 1935 to William H. Baab Sr., and Helen Elizabeth Stout Baab in Glenside, Pennsylvania. The Baabs moved to Atlanta in 1937 and to Augusta in 1940. Mr. Baab was graduated from Monte Sano Elementary School in 1948 and was a 1953 graduate of Boys Catholic High School (now called St. Thomas Aquinas). He was a Methodist.

In September 1955, Mr. Baab joined The Augusta Chronicle as a copy boy, working his way onto the staff in two years. He wrote a column, “Boating with Bill Baab,” starting in 1957, and soon was covering outdoor-related events. In 1960, he resigned to take a public relations position with the Georgia Game and Fish Department (now called Department of Natural Resources). A year later, he joined the Thomasville (Ga.) Times-Enterprise as sports editor.

In July 1964, he rejoined The Chronicle as outdoor editor, a position he held until retiring at the end of January 2000. He continued to edit the newspaper’s popular fishing page published every Friday in the sports section until retiring 2022 for health reasons.

In 1969, Mr. Baab began collecting antique bottles, especially those from Augusta. Supported by his wife, he wrote (and they self-published) three books dealing with local patent medicine men, breweries, dairies, soda water manufacturers and other firms that sold their products in glass containers. Copies of those books were given to public libraries in Aiken, S.C., Evans, Ga., and Augusta.

He joined the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors in the late 1990s and in 2011 was inducted into its Hall of Fame for his contributions to the hobby.

Over the years, the Baab’s donated 81 Augusta drug store bottles, 531 other types of antique bottles and about a dozen local merchants’ whiskey jugs, including eight mini jugs, to the Augusta Museum of History of which they had been longtime members. On Nov. 12, 2015, the museum opened permanent display cabinets featuring a cross-section of the Baabs’ bottle and pottery collections to the public.

Starting in the late 1980s, the Baabs donated more than 3,500 Augusta-related artifacts to the Augusta museum, as well as other artifacts from the Augusta area to museums in Grovetown, Ga., Macon, Ga., and Aiken, S.C. They also were members of the Aiken County Historical Museum.

Mr. Baab was considered an authority on George W. Perry who, on June 2, 1932, caught the world record largemouth bass of 22 pounds, 4 ounces in Montgomery Lake, Telfair County, Ga.

In 2010, The Whitefish Press, of Cincinnati, Ohio, published Mr. Baab’s book, “Remembering George W. Perry” and the book was in its second printing in 2015. The research material gathered for the book was donated in late 2015 to the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wis.

Mr. Baab held life memberships in that shrine as well as the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. He was an honorary lifetime member of the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association. He also was a charter member of the Horse Creek Antique Bottle & Pottery Club, of Aiken, S.C. He was a member of the United Kingdom-based Benty Society, which was devoted to the works of G.A. Benty, author of many historical and adventuresome children’s books in the late 19th century. Mr. Baab also was a member of the Greater Augusta Stamp Club, the National Association of Milk Bottle Collectors and the Iowa Antique Bottleers.

After their museum donations, in 2015 Baab started collecting bottles, flasks and Ceramic containers ordered by antique bottle clubs and the Federation of Historical Bottle Clubs during the late 20th century and early 21st century. His collection, which he donated to the federation, numbered nearly 100 different pieces.

Survivors in addition to his widow are two brothers, Charles C. (Joan) Baab, Lehigh Acres, Fla., and James M. (Donna) Baab, Umatilla, Fla.; a nephew, Jim Baab, Mt. Plymouth, Fla., and a niece, Heather Jean Baab, Miami, Fla., and other relatives. His sisters, Barbara Jean Baab and Dr. Elizabeth Anne Baab (Ph.d), predeceased him.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the chapel of Thomas Poteet & Son at 11 am Monday, December 29, 2025, with visitation prior to the service at 10 am. Graveside services will be conducted in Westover Memorial Park immediately following the service.

Active pallbearers are David Annis, William Sasser, David Willard, Billy Murphy, Perry Ryan, and Bill Kirby. Honorary pallbearers are members of the Horse Creek Antique Bottle & Pottery Club, members of The Chronicle’s sports department staff, staff members of the Augusta Museum of History and Aiken County Historical Museum, and members of bass clubs connected to the Clark Hill Committee, overseers of local major bass tournaments.

Mr. Baab supported many charities in his lifetime and directed that in lieu of flowers memorials should be made to a favorite charity in his name with the request that they remove his name from their mailing list.

Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484.