William Augustus Baldwin

William Augustus Baldwin IV, age 78, of Andover MA, moved on to the Eternal party in the sky on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 after being diagnosed with Glioblastoma in Mid-October. He was born on October 14, 1946, to his parents William Augustus Baldwin III and Madeline Ann Baldwin in Brookline MA.

Bill is survived by his wife Evelyn, who was his greatest fan, sous chef, tech aide and race support crew throughout 35 wonderful years of marriage. He is also survived by daughter Madeline Rose Baldwin, son William Augustus Baldwin V and daughter-in-law Allison (Mitchell) Baldwin; sisters, Janice Baldwin, Martha (Vic) Tkacs, Ann (Rich) Decembrele and Kathy (Jeff) Lovold; brother Mark (Kathleen) Baldwin, Sister-in-law Mary Flanagan, Brother-in-law Chuck (Leslie) Flanagan, a long list of nieces and nephews, his buddy Charlie (Liz) Bachman, all our Prospector Ski Club family members and, our Oak & Iron Family.

A Life Well Lived

Bill was raised in Medford, MA, in a loving and lively household with his five siblings. From an early age, he was drawn to adventure, whether exploring Wright’s Pond, tending to pigeons for a Boy Scout project, or building a home weightlifting room before it was trendy. Many mischief-filled summers were spent on the beach in Rockport where his love for bronzing began. He graduated from Medford High School and being one of the Brigham Boys was a badge of honor.

After earning his master's degree in Physical Education from Boston University, Bill served as a volunteer at the Veterans Association during the Vietnam War, a period that profoundly shaped him after losing close friends in combat. His career path was as diverse as his interests—he began as a physical education teacher, worked as a trainer for the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints, transitioned into sales in Southern California, and ultimately spent 25 years in the epoxy and silicone industry before retiring and transitioning to full time “Super Dad”.

Bill met Evelyn at Amicon, a small epoxy company in Lexington, MA. Despite living on opposite coasts, their love grew, leading to marriage in 1990. They spent five years in Chicago, where they welcomed Madeline and William, before moving back East and settling in Andover, MA. Their household expanded further when "Papa Baldwin" moved in, making for three generations of William Augustus Baldwins under one roof. A decade later, they embarked on a new adventure, living in Shanghai for four years before returning to Andover, where they’ve called home for the past 15 years.

Passion, Strength, and Adventure

Bill had a lifelong passion for exercise. He competed in countless races, from sprint triathlons to seven Ironmans, 5Ks to marathons, and even epic bike rides across California and Iowa. He hiked the White Mountains, trekked the John Muir Trail, and rarely let a day go by without some form of exercise. He completed his final major race in 2014, when he ran the Boston Marathon at age 69. He then passed the baton to Madeline. Coaching and watching her complete all 6 of the world major marathons was one of his proudest moments.

A True New Englander

He was obsessed with all things Boston sports; you could guarantee that 98.5 The Sports Hub would be playing on the radio when he was driving or working on a project in the garage. He even insisted on only listening to the radio broadcast while watching Patriots games, because the national announcers always had it out for the Pats. But he had a special place in his heart for Penn State and Navy football, always repping one or the other on college football Saturdays.

Would’ve, Could’ve and Should’ve

Bill’s enthusiasm for life was contagious and lived his life by the motto “You can’t live on would’ve, could’ve and should’ve”. He had more stories than the Bible and more friends than the hot dog guy at Fenway Paahk. His family often said that it seemed like he went around with a shirt that said “Talk to Me”, because of his unmatched ability to make friends no matter where he went. 

His love of travel took him on cross-country road trips where he was stampeded by a herd of buffalo and had to bribe Mexican Police with an electric blender. And then later on in life, trips across Asia and Europe with his family. 

He was always the life of the party, and never missed an opportunity to throw one. Particularly the holidays; Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the 4th of July were some of his favorites. He was truly the “Hostess with the Mostest”, going out of his way to have something special for everyone who came. No party was complete without an outlandish outfit to match the party's theme. He spent 27 years as a dedicated member of the Prospector Ski Club, where he was known for his legendary breakfasts and willingness to lend a hand to all.

He had a well-documented love for shopping, and never met a bar t-shirt, hat or sticker that he could live without. He swore by the wisdom of “if you can’t choose between 2 options just buy both”. 

Even in a lifetime of adventures he was a master of slowing things down and knowing how to appreciate the simpler things in life. From always taking the circuitous route to run his everyday errands, to sitting in the backyard for hours in the summer admiring what a great job he did mowing the lawn. And in the last few years his can’t miss weekly routine was drinking a pint with friends at “the Oak”, coming home for Pizza Fridays, and watching reruns of Hawaii Five-O.

But above all was his love for family and friends. A son, brother, husband, father, uncle and friend to all.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the truly exceptional staff at MGH and Spaulding Rehab. They made a difficult situation a little easier to bear. We were fortunate to provide a warm and comfortable environment at home during his transition from this life to the next. His family surrounded him with love to the end.

A private memorial will be held for Bill.

Memorial donations in Bill’s name can be made to:

https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate?tribute_make=1 

https://solvingkidscancer.org/about/#family-founded 

https://beatcc.org/