Margaret Mary "Peggy" Baldwin

Margaret Mary “Peggy” Baldwin (née Boone), age 85, of Dallas, TX, died peacefully at home on September 10, 2024, surrounded by 3 generations of her family who loved her very much. Peggy Baldwin lived a life of irrepressible joy and kindness, never passing by the chance for adventure and fun. She was fiercely devoted to her family and community and was the truest of friends.

Peggy was born November 26, 1938, in Philadelphia, PA, to the late Jury P. and Kathryn “Kit” Holahan Boone. She was raised in Bethesda, MD, along with 2 older sisters and a twin brother. In her early years, Peggy was a self-proclaimed tomboy, inseparable from her twin brother, Danny. She had a competitive spirit and loved sports - equestrian jumping (with her horses Romeo and Honey), cheerleading (her squad would run up the steps of the Washington Monument after a victory), basketball, volleyball, and even synchronized swimming. Her very favorite sport, however, was tennis, which she played competitively until she was 80 years old.

Peggy graduated from Immaculata High School in Washington, D.C., in 1956 and earned her associate’s degree in Spanish from Georgetown Visitation Junior College. She married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Brian Baldwin, on November 26, 1960, and together they raised 4 children. Brian always reminded Peggy (or “P.B.” as he fondly called her) that she asked him on their first date to the Sadie Hawkins Valentine’s Dance. In spite of the fact that Brian picked Peggy up for this date in his floorboard-less Studebaker, Peggy continued to date him. They were married for 59 years until his death in 2019.

After teaching elementary school to support Brian through medical school, Peggy devoted her time to raising her 4 children - Meg, Kathy, Brian, and Beth. Upon moving to Texas in 1970, she also built a long and devoted career of volunteerism, serving on the executive boards of the March of Dimes and American Heart Association and on the Board of Trustees of Ursuline Academy, chairing fundraisers for Jesuit College Preparatory School, and volunteering with the Northwood Woman’s Club and St. Paul Hospital Women’s Auxiliary. Her civic volunteerism included the DART Bond Campaign which brought mass transit to Dallas as well as Kay Bailey Hutchinson’s successful campaign for the U.S. Senate.

A longtime member of Bent Tree Country Club, Peggy never missed the opportunity to compete with her tennis team, “The Toppers,” or grab a burger with Brian after he finished a round of golf. She loved cheap instant coffee, bargains (especially on wrapping paper), Pond’s cold cream, practical jokes, a good old-fashioned cocktail, Cher and Neil Diamond, Twizzlers, neighborhood Halloween parties, trips to T-Bar-M, and OPI’s “Cajun Shrimp” nail polish on her toenails. She astonished many an opponent who dared challenge her to a game of Bridge or Scrabble, regularly laying down 7-letter words with impunity. She was famous for her “home-did” fudge, meticulous gift wrapping, and annual Rabbit Luncheon at Easter time.

Peggy was a people-person extraordinaire. She never met a stranger. Her secret was her insatiable curiosity, asking questions and really listening to the answers. She could learn more about someone over dinner than others might learn in a lifetime, a master of the art of connecting with others. Peggy often joked that she ran a “Help Line” from her living room - a confidante, wielding sage advice while watching Wheel of Fortune and drinking a glass of Chardonnay. Her love of adventure and learning about others sparked a love of travel; she explored the world first with her girlfriends, then with her family, and, despite being in her 80s, took her daughters and daughter-in-law on safari in Botswana (twice!). If she was invited on a trip, she went!

To her 11 grandchildren, who called her “Boo,” Peggy was not only a grandmother, but a friend and mentor. Boo truly knew each of her grandchildren - their interests, hopes and dreams, and friends. She attended a gazillion recitals, plays, and sporting events. She never missed a graduation or wedding. Boo taught her grandchildren to play Scrabble and gin rummy and beat them at both, regularly. She was lucky enough to know 8 greatgrandchildren. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were the joy of her life and her most important legacy.

Peggy is survived by her children: Meg Baldwin Squiers and her husband, Jay, of Dallas; Kathy Baldwin, M.D., of Eugene, OR; Brian J. Baldwin, Jr. and his wife, Susan, of Northlake, TX; and Beth Baldwin Hagewood and her husband, Bob, of Dallas. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Jack Squiers (Cristina Squiers), Kate Squiers Raseman (Billy Raseman), Tom Sears (Chelsea Belanger), Bobbie Lauren Baldwin (John Johnson), Amy Sears Martinez (Aaron Martinez), Will Squiers (Madelyn Squiers), Maddie Baldwin (Austin Carr), Whit Sears, Jack Hagewood, Ellie Hagewood, and Jake Baldwin. Her newest legacies are her 8 great-grandchildren: Lucy, Ana, Henry, Delilah, Noah, George, Thomas, and Peter. Finally, Peggy is survived by her sister, Betty Lewis of Valencia, CA, her twin brother, Dan Boone and his wife, Carole, of Rockhill, S.C.; her sister-in-law, Susan Baldwin of Williamsburg, VA; her brother-in-law, Sean Baldwin of Averill Park, NY; and 16 nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Peggy is preceded in death by her husband, Brian J. Baldwin, MD; sister, Dorothy Guandolo; brother-in-law, Kevin Baldwin; and sister-in-law, Lynn Baldwin.

Our mom was the anchor of our family, the genesis of every funny story, the light in any darkness, and the air we breathed. We will strive to live life as she did - with abandon, making life count, and savoring every second. Mom once said (as she was walking into a casino for a bathroom break on a road-trip when there was a perfectly fine rest area across the highway), “What did the Good Lord put us on this earth for if not to have fun!” We hope for her sake that there are trees in heaven to toilet paper.

The Baldwin Family would like to thank those who helped care for our mom, especially her medical team Dr. J. Michael DiMaio, Dr. Elizabeth Aubrey Brown, Dr. David Gerber, and Dr. Thomas Chiu, as well as her loving caregivers Alice, Marilyn, Angela, and Mary from Kori’s Kind Helpers. We are truly grateful.

A Memorial Mass celebrating Peggy' s life will be held at St. Rita Catholic Church on September 27, 2024, at 1 PM. Her cremated remains will be buried with her husband in a private service at the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Southwestern Medical Foundation in support of the Brian J. Baldwin, M.D. Heart and Lung Transplant Fund at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Memorial contributions may be mailed to 3889 Maple Avenue, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75219 or made online at https://swmedical.org/makeagift