Obituary of Robert Earl Baldwin

­­­­­Robert “Bob” Earl Baldwin

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Robert “Bob” Earl Baldwin of West Columbia, beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed on to his heavenly home on October 9, 2018. Born July 31, 1923 in Mauldin, SC to the late Robert Curtis Baldwin and Mary Sudie Allison Baldwin, he was a brother of the late Carol Baldwin Yates, Doris Baldwin Ward, Helen Baldwin McGaha, and Charles Dennis Baldwin.  He grew up in a large extended family, helped both his grandfathers on their cotton farms, and developed a strong work ethic at a young age. Bob played baseball, was captain of the basketball team, and valedictorian of his class at Laurel Creek High School in Greenville, SC.  After graduating, he went to work for S.H. Kress Company in that city.

In the thick of World War II, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, was stationed in several locations in the United States, and served in the 413th Fighter Squadron Single Engine as part of the 414th Fighter Group Single Engine on Iwo Jima, spending his first night on that island in a fox hole in the volcanic sand of the beach. His months on Iwo Jima were life-changing for Bob and he always said the heroes were the ones who didn’t go home.  He was stationed in the Philippine Islands immediately after the end of the war. Following his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army Air Corps, Bob resumed work with S.H. Kress Company.  Between 1946 and 1960, he worked as an Assistant Manager or Manager of S. H. Kress stores in LaGrange, GA; Columbus, GA; Augusta, GA; Atlanta, GA; Winchester, KY; and Daytona Beach, FL.  He went on to serve as a Zone Manager for Sperry & Hutchinson Company (S&H Green Stamps) in Charlotte, NC; Asheville, NC; northern New Jersey; and Columbia, SC. Throughout these years, he was active in church, often serving as a Deacon or on the Building Committee, as well as in civic life where he especially enjoyed working with the Lions Club. He made lifetime friends every place he lived. After retiring, he became a Certified Natural Health Professional.  Ahead of his time, he promoted natural health practices that now are becoming mainstream. He worked for three decades, well into his eighties, serving hundreds of clients across South Carolina as well as from other states.

He was an avid reader, enjoyed travel, particularly in the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, loved to fish, and could fry hushpuppies that were so light “they turned themselves over”. He loved to garden and patiently worked the red clay soil of his garden into dark, rich soil 18 inches deep for his organic garden. Known for his sense of humor, he savored a good turn of a word and a good joke. He was a devoted family man and loved sharing travel adventures, hosting Easter egg hunts, and celebrating his children’s, grandson’s, and great-grandchildren’s milestones. He was extremely generous and performed many anonymous acts of random kindness towards others. He loved his country deeply and was loyal to it, proudly flying a flag in his yard. He participated in an Honor Flight from South Carolina to the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC in 2009 and considered it a great privilege. He loved the Lord, read the Bible throughout his life, and served the Lord in word and deed. He was, in his own words, at peace with the Lord.

In 1948, Mr. Baldwin married the love of his life, Emily Willis of LaGrange, Georgia. He told her the day he met her that he would marry her.  They shared almost 71 years of marriage and lived in nine cities in six states, including the past 50 years in West Columbia. Bob and Emily were parents to two daughters, Linda (Bryant) Lindsey of Morganton, North Carolina, and Lisa (Lawrence) Craft of West Columbia.  In recent years he and his wife made their home with Lisa and Lawrence. He loved being a grandfather and a great-grandfather and cherished his grandchild, Robert Willis (Amy) Craft and great-grandchildren, Karlyn Williams, Parker Craft, Stella Grace Craft, and Liam Craft.  He never missed an opportunity to tell them, “I love you – always have, always will”.

A visitation will be held Sunday, October 14 at 2:00 PM at Woodridge Funeral Home at 138 Corley Mill Road in Lexington with a memorial service to follow at 3:00 PM in the Mausoleum Chapel. Interment will follow the service in the Woodridge Memorial Park.