Douglas Baldwin Sr. was born August 31, 1947, to Wilbur and Alberta Baldwin in Mitchell, SD. As a young man, Doug enjoyed sports of all kinds. He was a state Golden Gloves Boxer, played football, did weight lifting, played baseball, and enjoyed racing. He raced both bicycles and racing cars. Doug also enjoyed playing fast pitch softball and dabbled in scuba diving in his spare time. He always liked to talk about the 1955 two-door Chevy that he used to race. Doug graduated from Mitchell High School in 1966.
After starting college at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, he decided to pursue other interests. He moved to Chicago and became a manager at the Sears tower. Doug married his first wife, Virginia (Neverline), in Chicago where his first son, Douglas Jr., was born. Doug moved the family to Greenville, SC, where he owned a gas station for a couple years. After that, Doug moved the family back to Mitchell and became an entrepreneur of many businesses. Doug entered into a contract with the city of Mitchell to decorate the Corn Palace in 1973. He continued to decorate the Corn Palace from 1973 to 1983, something he really enjoyed. For several years, Doug would work in the Corn Palace during the winter months doing janitorial work or assisting with security for many of the performers they would bring in for entertainment. This allowed Doug the opportunity to meet many famous people. He was never really star struck, he would say "they put their pants on like I do, one leg at a time."
Doug started several entrepreneurial ventures in Mitchell which included lawn service, snow removal, tree removal, and some minor landscaping. He also owned several rental houses and owned a local bar. He would take different jobs in the surrounding area such as tearing down buildings, moving buildings, or any other unique job that would come along. He enjoyed the thought of being a "jack of all trades."
In 1983, Doug moved out to the Black Hills and started his own logging business. Not long after, Doug met his second wife, Teri (Stanley), and they were married at Rough Lock Falls in 1985. Within approximately a year, they purchased the Friendship Home in Deadwood, which was a facility for the care of elderly individuals. The facility was combined with their home and they worked hard to make the individuals they cared for feel like it was their home as well.
Doug and Teri were blessed with the births of three children, Megan, Molly, and Luke. Doug continued operating the logging business until 1995 but several injuries made it no longer feasible. The family continued to operate the Friendship Home until 2000. Following the operation of the Friendship Home, the family enjoyed being camp operators at Lake Herman near Madison. The family lived and worked at camping resorts in the black hills and now have been residing in the Maitland area where they assist with the care of several handicapped children.
Doug, 71, Lead, died Thursday, February 14, 2019, at his residence.
He is survived by his mother, Alberta; four brothers, Gary, Wilbur Jr., Brian, and Mark; wife of 33 years, Teri; his children, Douglas Jr., Megan, Molly, and Luke; and two granddaughters, Savannah and Sonja Baldwin.
Doug was preceded in death by his father, Wilbur Sr.; brother, Curtis; and nephew, Mike.
Visitation will be Saturday, March 2, at 10:00 a.m. with a memorial service beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Will Funeral Chapel in Mitchell, SD.