John Francis Baldwin Jr.

John F. Baldwin, Jr., 70, passed into eternity at his home in Lusk, Wyoming, on Thursday, February 17, 2022. A Celebration of Life will be held at Harrison Bible Church, in Harrison, NE, on February 26, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. Pastor Matt Parker will officiate. John’s body will be sown (First Corinthians 15:42-44) at Lusk Cemetery on Friday, February 25, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. John was born in Fairbanks, AK, on March 5, 1951, to John and Helen Baldwin. When Helen passed away, his father later remarried and John was adopted by Ardys Baldwin in 1965, and thereby inherited a younger sister, Sharon. From the age of nine until college, John was raised in Vista, CA. He graduated from Vista High School and Palomar Junior College. In 1976 he graduated with honor, with a bachelor’s degree from Multnomah School of the Bible, Portland, OR, now Multnomah University. He interned for several years at Boulevard Park Church in Seattle, WA, where he and his wife made many close friendships that endure to this day. In 1984 John graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX, with a Masters in Theology. In 2011, at the age of sixty, John graduated as an RN from Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, OR. He pursued nursing as he wanted to make a contribution to world missions. John met his wife Vickie at Multnomah and they were married in 1977. They enjoyed over forty-four years of marriage and both agreed their favorite thing was when they worked as a team, as in ministry. They spent several years as ministry interns in Seattle, then headed for Dallas Seminary. John served in three pastorates, most notably at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Coquille, OR, where they served from 1988 until 2006. John was consistent. What you saw of him in public was what the family got from him at home, only better. He was present at the birth of their three children and actively involved in their upbringing. He was a daily student of the Word of God, even when he was not in the pastorate. He was a champion for the Grace of God and the security of the believer (Ephesians 2:8,9). John was also a biblical creationist, filling their home library with videos, DVDs, and books, attending conferences, educating his children, church members and friends about all the biblical and scientific evidence of creation. John was a hard worker and an excellent provider, though thrifty by nature; he wanted to give to God’s work. While in seminary in Dallas, TX, he owned a lawn-mowing business and was able to graduate debt-free. Perhaps to offset his hours of study, one of his favorite past-times was going to get firewood and splitting it and stuffing one of the many woodstoves he installed in their homes throughout the years. He was an excellent woodworker, making cabinets, building sunrooms, roofing, laying wood floors, etc. John also liked to have fun with his friends and parishioners. One young man from the youth group remembers, “I can still hear John’s infectious laughter, and I can also still see him with the ‘super soaker’ water launcher and a big grin [while riding] on his rubber raft on the Rogue River!” A former neighbor said, “One of my best memories is John’s booming, from-the-heart laugh. His happiness was highly contagious and pure joy to be around.” John and his family enjoyed many great times camping in their tent-trailer. He initiated camps and retreats with friends and parishioners, believing it was good to get together in the great outdoors. John had a heart for missions and he and Vickie, and their children, took a number of trips overseas to places like Albania, Kenya, India and the United Arab Emirates. John and Vickie moved to Wyoming in August of 2012, and have lived in Lusk since 2013 where John served for several years as an RN on the night shift at Niobrara Health and Life Center. He enjoyed interacting with the patients better than interacting with the computer. They have both felt at home in this community. They have been members of Harrison Bible Church, a church they have loved and appreciated for the faithful preaching of God’s Word and good fellowship with other believers. John is survived by his well-loved wife Vickie; daughter Katie Munene (Adams), her three daughters Aliza, Vickie and Eliana, all of Kenya; daughter Stephanie and son Andy of Lusk, WY; cousins Gregg Baldwin (Chris) of Florida and Janie Parks of Washington; and sister Sharon Bennett of Idaho. He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen Baldwin and John and Ardys Baldwin, and his aunt, Mary Baldwin. Due to the commitments John had, the family suggests Memorials to the Institute of Creation Research (known as ICR; donations 1-800-337-0375; icr.org) and Harrison Bible Church, PO Box 387, Harrison, NE 69346. There will also be a scholarship fund entitled The John Baldwin Bible School Scholarship Fund that is in progress. In the meantime, donations to the scholarship fund can be sent to Harrison Bible Church (marked for scholarship). John’s was a life well-lived. If he could speak to you now he would encourage you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, get into the Word of God daily, join a local church fellowship that preaches the Word faithfully, be discipled/mentored, and walk with God.

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