Georgia O'dell Key Baldwin

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Georgia O'dell Key Baldwin passed from this life at 90 years, and three months on Jan. 7, 2009. Georgia was born on Oct. 7, 1918, the oldest of Seth Thomas and Bertha Carolina (Klumpp) Key in Pashaw, rural Vernon County.

On Feb. 3, 1940, she married the love of her life Kenneth Leon Baldwin. They were blessed with three sons: Connie Leon, Gerald (Jerry) LeRoy, and Randall (Randy) Keith.

The Baldwin's made their home in Dederick filling station until Kenneth was drafted. They moved to Fort Leonard Wood and lived there until the end of World War II. Upon returning to El Dorado Springs, Georgia was consumed with being a housewife and mother. In April 1946, Georgia and Kenneth purchased their first and only home on Main Street, where she resided until her death. Kenneth was killed in an auto accident in July 1949, while driving a gas delivery truck for E.E. Schmidt. Georgia went to work at the switchboard of the local telephone company, where she worked from 1950 to 1961 when she change as dietitian and kitchen supervisor and El Dorado Springs R-2 schools. She retired after 25 years in 1987. During those years she also worked at Camp Galilee, the swimming pool, and the drive-in theater in the summer and the walk-in theater in the winter. Georgia's favorite times were spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Most of her spare time was spent making quilts for her family and she always had Sunday dinner for anyone that wanted to come in. She loved the trips to Silver Dollar City and to Bennett Springs fish hatchery with her kids, and in later years, the bus trips with the group from the bank. Georgia was so proud to be a 50-year member of the El Dorado Springs Legion Auxiliary and loved to attend meetings and network with the "girls." Georgia was baptized on July 16, 2006, and was a member of Sulphur Springs Baptist Church.

Preceding her in death were: her husband Kenneth; her parents Tom and Bertha Key; one sister, Thelma Hutchison; one brother Thomas Carl Key; and two nephews Tom Hutchison and Kenny Bob Hutchison.

Left to miss her are her sons Connie and Sue (Chrism) Baldwin, of St. James, Mo. Jerry and Judi (Scott) Baldwin and Randy Baldwin of El Dorado Springs; and two nephews, Tom Hutchison and Kenny Bob Hutchison; one sister-in-law, Doris Key, of Falmouth, Va.; eight grandchildren, Kevin and Jacqueline Baldwin, Kristi and Kevin Griep, of Jefferson City, Mo., Travis and Tricia Baldwin, Tami and Aaron Blystone, Kandi Bladwin, Cori and Earny Hoover, Jerrod and Stacy Baldwin, all of El Dorado Springs, and Seth and Andrea Baldwin, of the state of North Carolina; 13 great-grandchildren, Taihlor Baldwin, Aidan Key Baldwin-Rotert, Matt Hoover, Mikayla Hoover, Mason Hoover, Mackenna Blystone, Logan Baldwin, Skyler Baldwin, and Morgan Baldwin, all of El Dorado Springs, Kellen Griep, Kyler Griep and Kaitlin Griep, all of Jefferson City. Other survivors include: five nephews, Shelby Hutchison, Terry Hutchison, John Wayne Hutchison, Jim Hutchison, and Carl Hutchison; one niece, Carolyn Jones; countless great-nieces and -nephews; special friends, Lillian Sunderwirth, and Beula Chism; and many other dear friends and cousins.

Services for Georgia Baldwin, were held at 10 a.m., on Saturday, Jan. 10, at Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home. The Rev. Bill Clevenger officiated the service and Jeanie Baldwin provided music. Casket bearers were grandsons and grandsons-in-law: Kevin Baldwin, Travis Baldwin, Jerrod Baldwin, Seth Baldwin, Kevin Griep, Aaron Blystone and Larry Hoover. The nephews were the honorary casket bearers: Shelby Hutchison, Terry Hutchison, John Wayne Hutchison, Jim Hutchison, Carl Hutchison, and Dale Jones. Georgia's final resting place is next to her beloved Kenneth at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts maybe made in memory of Georgia Baldwin to the El Dorado Springs American Legion Auxillary in care of Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home.