The sweet voice of Yahee Fernandes-Baxter, of New York, New York and LaSalle, Ontario, left us on Thursday, March 30, at Henry Ford Hospital, in Detroit, Michigan, after a brief battle with a rare cancer.

Yahee was born in Wareham. She was the fifth of 10 daughters of Arthur and Rose Fernandes of Marion.

In 1984, she married Gregory Baxter in Marion, and had two sons, Whitney and Ryan. In 1969, Yahee earned an associate of arts degree in theatre and voice, from Colby Junior College (now Colby-Sawyer College) in New London, New Hampshire. She then matriculated to Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire as one of the first 70 women admitted. While at Dartmouth, Yahee was the first African-American cheerleader and first woman to pledge a fraternity.

In 1972, she earned a bachelor of arts in theatre and voice from Smith College. In 1973 Smith granted her a master of arts in teaching.

Show business was Yahee's vocational calling and so she moved to New York, to pursue her craft. Yahee fell in love with Broadway, performing both on and off-Broadway for many years in numerous shows.

She appeared in more than 150 television commercials and radio voiceovers. She originated, and played, for almost five years, the role of Star Stoner/Wilson on the long-running ABC network soap opera, The Edge of Night.

Yahee is survived by her husband, Gregory, and her sons, Whitney and Ryan, all of New York, New York. She is also survived by her nine sisters, Bernadine Sacchetti, Marie Pina, Arlene ‘Judy’ Mason and Pamela Rose from Wareham, Rita Bretto from Rochester, Alice Fernandes from Marion and Pompano Beach, Florida, Renee Fernandes from New Bedford, Margo Mosely from Modesto, California and Wanda Harrington from Providence, Rhode Island, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

In lieu of a funeral, the family is planning a celebration of Yahee's life on May 7, at the Marion Social Club from noon to 4 p.m. A memorial fund in Yahee's name at St. Andrews Anglican Church (519-734- 7682), 205 Laurier Drive, LaSalle, ON N9J 1L5, has been established for those who wish to make a donation.