Sharon Lee Baldwin

Sharon was born on May 13, 1954, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to John and Lois DeWitt. She was one of six children, raised on a dairy farm where hard work was a way of life. That upbringing shaped who Sharon became. She worked hard and she never quit. As a teenager, she moved to Arizona. She never forgot how cold Wisconsin winters could be and never looked back.

In her early career, Sharon worked in Purchasing at Duval Mine. She would call vendors to follow up on parts orders. One of those calls brought her to Merle's Automotive, where a gentleman named Raymond Baldwin answered the phone. He gave her his number and asked her to call. She did that very evening. They were married just one year later, on October 12, 1985, and spent the next 40 years together. Raymond was the love of her life.

If you ever spent five minutes with Sharon, you knew one thing without question: she was proud of her boys and made sure everyone knew it. When Daniel and Bryan were young, Sharon stepped away from work to raise them, because they were her priority. She read to them, worked on projects, and was present for every moment of their childhood. Raising her boys was her life. And she loved every minute of it.

When her sons reached school age, Sharon began working at Richardson Elementary School as an Instructional Assistant, a role that let her work with children while still being present for her own. She worked at Richardson for the next 26 years. Two highlights of her career were having her “Buddy Bench” idea implemented and being recognized as Support Staff of the Year. She retired from Richardson in 2020, having shaped the lives of countless children along the way.

In her final years, Sharon faced something that would have broken most people. She was diagnosed with esophageal and stomach cancer in 2023. She fought, and she won. She was declared cancer free. Then in October 2025, she was diagnosed with brain cancer. In her final days, it spread to her lungs. Through all of it, Sharon never quit fighting. She would say, "I beat it once and I'll beat it again. I'm going to win, because I need to be here with my grandchildren." Sharon's memories and legacy will continue to live on; the cancer will not.

She loved. She fought. She won.

Sharon is survived by her husband, Raymond Baldwin Jr.; her mother-in-law, Vourneen Baldwin; her sons Daniel Baldwin (wife Brittany; children Isaiah, Ruth, and Deborah) and Bryan Baldwin (wife Mysha; children Mya and Tyler); her siblings John DeWitt, Gary DeWitt, Mark DeWitt, and Diana DeWitt; her many beloved nieces and nephews; and her sweet orange cat, Tommy Boy, who brought her so much joy in her final years. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Lois DeWitt.

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Celebration of Life

Sharon's life will be celebrated at East Lawn Palms Mortuary & Cemetery on Friday, July 10, 2026. Visitation will be held from 9:00–11:00am, followed by the funeral service at 11:00am and burial at 12:00pm.

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In Lieu of Flowers

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Sharon's name to the Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary in Tucson. This is where Sharon found her beloved Tommy Boy. She didn't just adopt him there; she loved visiting the shelter and spending time with the cats and kittens.