Mr. Jene Richard Baldwin, 70, of Webb City, Missouri, formerly of Joplin, departed this life on Thursday, January 5, 2017, at his residence after a sudden illness.
Jene entered this life on May 31, 1946, in Joplin, Missouri, born to the union of the late John and Betty (Bumgardner) Baldwin. He was a lifelong area resident and a 1964 graduate of Joplin Senior High School. He furthered his education at Missouri Southern State College and received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Missouri. He served his country faithfully in the United States Army at a MedTech. Jene was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Webb City, the Knights of Columbus and the Disabled American Veterans. He volunteered with Meals on Wheels, Crosslines, The Salvation Army, Saint Vincent De Paul Society amongst various other organizations. He spent a good portion of his life advocating the use of bicycle trailers for the poor, building them and giving them away himself. He had an eye for the mechanical and begun repairing treadle sewing machines in his later years giving away a great many of those to needy families as well. His true heart was to give to the poor and help those in need and to live and love like Jesus and this is exactly how he lived his life. He was a strong example of Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God as well-beloved children and walk continually in love just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God, a sweet fragrance.
Jene is survived by his two children, Rebecca Hamlin and husband, Jason, of Webb City and Richard Baldwin and Lacila Ozols of Toronto Ontario, Canada; an adopted daughter, Jane Francis Nakibuka of Uganda, Africa; four grandchildren, Peyton, Christian, Cameron and Ivory Hamlin; two sisters, Janet Martin of Joplin and Joy Braeckel of Carl Junction; a brother, John Baldwin of Kennewick, Washington; several nieces and nephews as well as a host of other family and friends.
Funeral Mass for Mr. Baldwin will be held on Friday, January 13, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Webb City with Father Rahab Isidor officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow in the Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery in Joplin. Those honoring his life by serving as pallbearers are Jim Martin, Jim Braeckel, John Baldwin, Jason Hamlin, Gary Hamlin, Ken Bratholomen and Gene Phillips. Rosary will be recited on Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary in Joplin with visitation following until 8:00 p.m. Memorials are being directed to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and contributions may be left at the mortuary. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through www.thornhilldillon.com.
Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary in Joplin, Missouri.
Jean was my papa not by blood but by love he always saw the best in me and loved me unconditioanlly even when I was unlovable and my worst rock bottom, he loved like Jesus,he lived a selfless life worthy of the call he gave up all he had just to see his loved ones blessed he was an angel and now he is back in heaven.
ReplyDelete