Estelle W. Baldwin

Estelle Baldwin was a beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, wife, aunt, and mentor to many people. She was a small-town girl, having grown up in a little town called Taft, outside of Bakersfield. She was truly an all-American girl and was focused on God, country and family as taught by her parents. Her father, a Marine in WW1, was born and raised in California and her mother was from Missouri. Both were teachers and her father became a Principal. Estelle was a straight A student in high school and active in many charitable and patriotic causes, even organizing her friends to raise money to buy a jeep for the U.S. Army during WW2. Like her mother, she was a Girl Scout. Estelle and her brother played the piano together at small events and churches. She attended Bakersfield Community College where she was active in student government and in numerous social and charitable groups.

The highlight of her college years was when she was elected the Potato Bowl Queen, which is the big college football game in that area. She then went to work for the Kern County School District where she met her future husband at a district event when she was just 18. Fresh from WW2, Chuck was a dashing man, a decorated Marine Corp fighter pilot and a USC graduate. According to mom’s diary, she rejected him for a date twice because he was 9 years older. She finally dated him, but he was recalled to the Korean War where he was awarded his 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross. Mom said she fell in love with him through his love letters which lasted through the war. When he returned, they quickly became engaged and were married in December of 1951. Dad was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, so Mom enrolled at nearby Pepperdine University, Los Angeles campus, to finish her degree in Education.

After the war, Dad worked for IBM in Los Angeles, then Bethesda, MD, and then San Diego, beginning in 1960. In the mid 60’s, he quit IBM to pursue a career in real estate. Mom was his first secretary, book keeper, and decorator. She volunteered at the Pacific Beach Church of Christ and was a room mother in our school classes. She was also a Girl Scout Leader, a Little League Baseball snack shack coordinator, and volunteered at a local women’s shelter. She even filled in as a substitute teacher on occasion. When the San Diego Christian Foundation was begun by our father in the 70’s, she helped raise funds for the Christian school it founded.

Mom and Dad were well known for their hospitality, opening their home to many people from the military, church, neighborhood, and anyone who needed a place to stay or eat. We were the “fun house.” When the parents next door perished in a plane accident, Mom treated those kids as part of the family. After the fall of Saigon, Mom and Dad sponsored three refugee Vietnamese families from Camp Pendleton, all who became successful citizens. Most of the people they helped remained friends with us for many years.

Mom was a great mother and allowed us to be kids, to explore, and to ride our bikes all over Point Loma. More importantly, she also instilled in each of us strong Christian values such as to love God, to love our country, to love our family, and to always help others in need. She cherished her grandchildren and great grand kids. Estelle lived a long life, passing at age 91, but she is reunited in heaven with her beloved Chuck. Estelle Baldwin is survived by three children, nine grandchildren, and soon to be 13 great grandchildren. She was loved and is missed by all!