MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester is mourning the sudden passing of Robert “Bob” Baines, former mayor, longtime educator, and dedicated public servant whose career was defined by steady leadership and deep commitment to the community he served.
Baines died on January 23, 2026 from complications following a medical procedure. He was 79.
Born in Manchester on June 25, 1946, Baines spent his entire life in the city he would later lead – first as an educator, then as a school board member, then mayor, and finally returning once more to the Manchester School Board nearly five decades after his first term. Friends, colleagues, and city leaders alike describe him as a public servant “to his core,” someone whose commitment to Manchester never wavered.
You would be hard-pressed to find someone without a Bob Baines story, a man whose positive vibe and Irish gift for gab were rivaled only by his natural ability to bring people and things together – much like a maestro conducts a symphony orchestra – never missing a beat.
Education was the throughline of Baines’ career. A 1964 graduate of Manchester Memorial High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Keene State College in 1968 and later a master’s degree in school administration from Rivier College. He also completed graduate work in music education at the University of New Hampshire.
From 1968 to 1977, Baines taught music at Alvirne High School and served as director of fine arts for the Hudson School District. In 1980, he was named principal of Manchester High School West, a role he held until December 1999 following his winning mayoral bid. During that time, he was recognized statewide and locally—named New Hampshire Principal of the Year in 1990 and Educator of the Year by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce in 1996.
He also served in the New Hampshire National Guard’s 39th Army Band from 1970 to 1976, reflecting a lifelong connection to music and public service.
Baines was elected Manchester’s 53rd mayor in November 1999, defeating incumbent Raymond Wieczorek – and the two remained friends and colleagues up until Wieczorek’s passing in Nov. 2022. A Democrat, Baines went on to win reelection in 2001 and 2003, securing more than two-thirds of the vote in his final successful campaign.
Word of his passing reached U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who recognized Baines for both his political achievements as well as his contributions to education.
“Billy and I are saddened to hear about Bob’s passing. A former mayor and longtime educator, Bob devoted his time and talents to the city he loved, and will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time,” Shaheen said in a statement.
Also sending her condolences, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan.
“Bob Baines was a kind man and strong leader who devoted his life to serving the Queen City. Manchester and New Hampshire are better off thanks to Bob’s tireless service. I’m very sad to hear of his passing, and am thinking of his family and friends at this time,” Hassan said.
U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas also mourned the loss to the city.
“I’m saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Baines. He served Manchester with vision and purpose as mayor and made a tremendous difference for our schools, economy, and quality of life. My thoughts are with the entire Baines family. May his memory and legacy live on,” Pappas said.
During his tenure from 2000 to 2006, Manchester saw a wave of significant development projects that continue to shape the city today. These included the opening of the Verizon Arena in 2001, construction of the William B. Cashin Senior Center on the West Side, major renovations and expansions of city schools, and the construction of a new water treatment plant.
Gill Stadium was renovated in 2003 to host a minor league baseball franchise, and in 2005 the Fisher Cats Stadium opened. Downtown, Merrimack Place transformed a long-abandoned Elm Street site into luxury apartments, helping reinvigorate the city’s urban core.
Palace Theatre President and CEO Peter Ramsey says the resurrection of the Palace Theatre was due, in great part, to Baines’ determination to elevate the arts on the city’s agenda.
“Bob is a longtime friend who I deeply respect and admire. He loved the arts for a lifetime and had the courage to support them. In his first official speech of his first day in office as mayor he stated, ‘I will never let Manchester’s historic Palace Theatre close again,” and he did not,” Ramsey said. “He is a Good Man.”
Before becoming mayor, Baines also played a pivotal role in city governance as vice-chair of the 1996 Manchester Charter Commission, whose work produced the city’s current charter.
Former Manchester Mayor Sylvio Dupuis remembered Baines not only as a colleague, but as a loyal friend.
“We lost a great one,” Dupuis said. “He never gave up on our city. No one ever worked so hard for the City of Manchester. He was such a loyal and honest person. Some friends get busy and you don’t see them anymore—but Bob was always there for me.”
Dupuis met Baines while serving as mayor – Baines was on the school board.
“He was the first school board member who was a teacher at the time – the question was whether that was legal or not, but they determined it was. Bob broke the mold,” he said.
Dupuis recalled that even while dealing with health challenges of his own, Baines remained in close contact—calling regularly, offering rides to meetings, and keeping him connected to city life.
“He’d never let you down,” Dupuis said. “Manchester has lost a very special person, and his wife, Maureen, has lost a very special man.”
Mayor Jay Ruais echoed those sentiments, calling Baines’ legacy enduring.
“Bob dedicated his life in selfless service to our city, and while he has passed from this world, his legacy endures in the lives he guided, the memories he created, and the city he helped shape. I will always cherish the time I spent with him and am blessed to have called him my friend. Veronica and I are praying for his beloved family during this difficult time.”
In 2023, Baines surprised many by announcing his candidacy for the Manchester Board of School Committee in Ward 9 – a position he had last held nearly 50 years earlier. He ran uncontested, won, and returned to regular public meetings with the same steady presence that defined his career. In July 2025, he filed for reelection and went on to win with 72 percent of the vote.
Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Chmiel, Ed.D., said Baines attended his final school board meeting just weeks before his death. She released the following statement Friday:
“The Manchester School District has lost one of the most influential and dedicated community leaders of our time. We are heartbroken to hear of the sudden passing of former Manchester Mayor and Board of School Committee member Bob Baines. We send our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.
“Mr. Bob Baines was a valued and deeply respected member of the Board of School Committee. His service to our community as a high school Principal, Mayor and Board of School Committee member are unmatched. He was a public servant to his core, attending his final school board meeting just a couple of weeks ago. The legacy of his work will live on in Manchester.
“I have always deeply valued the advice, camaraderie and encouragement he offered me while working together for the good of our students. Bob was one of a kind and a good man who certainly gave more than he ever took. Our hearts are with his entire family at this time. He will be sorely missed by all who had the honor of knowing him.”
Beyond City Hall and the school district, Baines served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Secondary School Principals, was director of STEAM Ahead in New Hampshire, a trustee of the University System of New Hampshire, and later president of Chester College of New England, a role he held until 2012.
Education was always his first love, and so it was a natural progression for Baines to be part of the founding leadership team of Manchester Proud, a community initiative for school improvement.
His influence even found its way into local culture: the Manchester rock band Moes Haven wrote a song titled “Bring Back Bob Baines” following his 2005 electoral defeat.
In a statement issued Friday, the Manchester City Democrats called Baines “a devoted public servant and a lifelong advocate for the Queen City,” noting his tireless work on behalf of students, educators, and families.
Beyond his roles in education and city government, Baines for many years also brought the community together each spring through a long-running charitable tradition: the Bob Baines Blarney Breakfast. For more than 20 years, this early-March Irish-themed fundraiser became a beloved Manchester event, blending music, storytelling, and local camaraderie while raising significant funds for organizations serving the broader community.
Over its history the breakfast raised more than $1.5 million for causes including the American Red Cross, the Manchester Police Athletic League, and the foundation in his late sister’s honor, the Shirley Brulotte Fund at the International Institute of New England, which supports refugees and immigrants. At each gathering, Baines could be found onstage — reliably offering a bit of blarney himself – bringing together civic leaders, businesspeople, and neighbors in service and celebration.
And it wasn’t a Blarney Breakfast without the musical appetizer that preceded the blarney. In his lilting tenor Baines belted out the tale of the tootling flutes and clanging cymbals that are part of the storied “MacNamara’s Band.” The March 12, 2020 Blarney Breakfast happened just as COVID was about to make headlines, and it would be the last such breakfast.
Baines and his wife, Maureen, married in 1974 and built a beautiful family together – their children, Timothy, Christina, and Catherine, and grandchildren, Jacob and Lucas Miller, and Shea and Beau Gardner, all of whom Baines was fiercely proud of and devoted to.
Manchester, many say, is the vibrant city it is today because Bob Baines was born into it, showing up – again and again to help orchestrate change. He never stopped caring about the city that loved him back.
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