Graveside services for 70-year old John Baldwin Jr of Lusk, Wyo, are Fri, Feb 25, at 11:00 at the Lusk Cemetery, where John’s body will be sown (First Corinthians 15:42-44)
A Celebration of Life will be held Sat, Feb 26, at 10:30 at the Harrison Bible Church in Harrison, NE., with Pastor Matt Parker officiating.
Online condolences may be left at pierfh.com
Due to the commitments John had, the family suggests memorials to the Institute of Creation Research (1-800-337-0375 or icr.org) and the Harrison Bible Church, PO Box 387, Harrison, NE 69346.
Donations to the John Baldwin Bible School Scholarship Fund can be sent to Harrison Bible Church (marked for scholarship)
John F Baldwin Jr was born in Fairbanks, AK, on March 5, 1951, to John and Helen Baldwin. He passed into eternity at his home in Lusk, Wyoming, on Thursday, February 17, 2022.
John’s mother passed away and his father later remarried. John was adopted by his new mother, Ardys Baldwin in 1965, and thereby inherited a younger sister, Sharon.
From the age of 9 until college, John was raised in Vista, CA. He graduated from Vista High School and Palomar Junior College, then in 1976 graduated with honors from Multnomah School of the Bible, now Multnomah University, in Portland, OR, receiving a bachelor’s degree.
John met his wife Vickie at Multnomah and they were married in 1977. They enjoyed over 44 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 at Boulevard Park Church in Seattle, WA, making many close friendships that endure to this day, then headed for Dallas, TX, and Dallas Theological Seminary.
John graduated from Dallas Theological with a Masters in Theology and went on to serve three pastorates, most notably at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Coquille, OR, where they served from 1988 until 2006.
In 2011, at the age of 60, John graduated as an RN from Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, OR, and pursued nursing as a way to make a contribution to world missions.
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, 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 took a number of trips overseas with their children to places that included Albania, Kenya, India and the United Arab Emirates.
John and Vickie moved to Wyoming in August of 2012 and in 2013 to Lusk, 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.
John and Vickie have both felt at home in Lusk. 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 of Lusk; son Andy of Lusk; cousins Gregg Baldwin (Chris) of Florida and Janie Parks of Washington; and sister Sharon Bennett of Idaho.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Helen Baldwin and John and Ardys Baldwin, and his aunt, Mary Baldwin.
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.
Pier Funeral Home of Lusk is in charge of arrangements for John Baldwin Jr