Walter Anderson Baldwin Jr.

Walter was the only child of Helen Mae Irving of Covington, Kentucky and Walter Anderson Baldwin Senior of Atlanta, Georgia. His parents met in Decatur, Georgia, and soon after marrying, moved to Tampa in the late 1920”s for Walters Sr’s work at the Sunshine Biscuit factory near Gandy Blvd. Helen was a homemaker, a wonderful baker, self taught pianist and singer and loved her only son “Junie Bug”.

He was raised on Watrous Avenue, in what is now known as South Tampa or more specifically, New Suburb Beautiful.

His parents were religious and worshipped at the nearby Baptist church, Bayshore Baptist where he was baptized as a child.

A precocious athlete, Walter lettered in football, baseball and basketball at Plant High School. There he met many of his life-long friends and business associates including Sam Salario, Nelson Italiano and Ed Flom. His love of golf also began young. In the early 1940’s, his father taught him to play at their “new” local club, Palma Ceia. Later along with his good friends, Chris Sullivan and Bob Basham, he would help start another club he loved, Old Memorial, on the outskirts of Tampa.

After entering University of Florida on an ROTC scholarship, Walter continued his athletic success as quarterback of the football team as well as captain of the baseball team. He transferred to Florida State after two years and lead the Seminoles as quarterback of that team as well. Walter graduated in 1953 with a B. S. In Business Administration. During his last years in college, he began dating a young woman from his neighborhood, named Sara “Sally” Lowry. They married shortly after she graduated from Florida State and he entered the US Air Force and was stationed at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California.

In 1956, Sally and Walter returned to Tampa six months after the birth of their first child and set up their household on McKay Avenue just about a mile from where they were both raised. He went to work for Sally’s father, a founder and executive of Gulf Life Insurance Company, thus beginning his long and successful career in the Insurance industry. In 1960, after five years with his father -in- law, he started Baldwin Italiano Insurance with his childhood friend, Nelson Italiano. Twenty-five years later, Nelson left the firm and later, Walter handed the reins to his sons, Lowry and John. Lowry merged the firm with Davis Brothers to form Davis Baldwin Insurance. By 2002, Baldwin Insurance was the largest privately held insurance company in Florida with annual revenues of 750 million dollars in premiums. Lowry and Chuck Davis sold the company to Wachovia Bank. Lowry then, along with three cofounders started what is today the Baldwin Group.

A large part of Walter’s success in insurance and life was due to his magnetic personality. He was a friend to many with a love of socializing that included not just weekend cocktail parties and barbeques, but an annual men’s only, New Years Day football party aptly named “The Oyster Bowl”, (“no Kids! , we ain’t no babysitting service!”)

Also high on his recreation list were hunting and fishing, which he loved to share with his sons as they grew up.

Hunting at the old Conner ranch just north of Tampa every weekend was a favorite hobby, along with fishing in both local waters and his beloved Bimini with his boys and best friends, Doc Connor, Salario and Flom. These pastimes were exciting retreats from the stresses of building his growing business and family.

For ten years in the 60’s and 70’s, Walter also coached his son’s little league baseball team. The Jaycees, as they were called, went to regionals each year and were fundamental to all three of his sons becoming accomplished team sports athletes in high school and college. His grandson Keenan married the daughter of his star pitcher, Arthur Lastra.

In his eighties, he began what he called his “Grampy Trips”, taking all his grandchildren on epic adventures each year to places as far away as Iceland, St. Barts and Canada. These trips helped bond him with his grandkids, making lasting memories for each one of them.

He will be remembered as a master storyteller and jokester. God forbid you were on the receiving end. It is safe to say he could get away with saying and doing things that no one else dared. Up to the very end, he was still singing his little ditty about “ knowing a girl from Ybor City… ”, much to the mortification and delight of those within earshot.

Along the way, he met, mentored and was mentored by great friends like the Sullivans and Bashams, and his friends at Florida Steel. He built his business on the principle that your clients are your friends and family. And he lived that principle.

He is the only person in the history of Hillsborough County government to be named Chairman of all three governing agencies, The Tampa Sports Authority, the Port Authority and the Aviation Authority that oversee three vital areas of Tampa business development.

Walter is preceded in death by his beloved wife Sally, his parents Helen and Walter and his son John.

Survivors are his daughter Bryan, (Eric Hull), and sons Trey Baldwin (Susan Kynes Baldwin), Lowry Baldwin (Jennifer) and nine grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.

A service will be held at St John’s Episcopal Church on Friday, March 13th, at 11:00am, with a celebration lunch following the service at Walter’s home at 3312 Jean Circle.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the H. B Plant High School

football program.

PHS Football c/o PHS Athletic Department

2415 Himes Ace.

Tampa, Florida 3362