Richard Drake Baldwin ’60

Richard Drake Baldwin ’60 of Wendell, Massachusetts, died on May 18. He is survived by his partner, Joy, and niece Melissa. Richard and Joy had lived in Wendell since 1982. Prior to Dartmouth Richard attended the Gunnery School in Washington, Connecticut. At Dartmouth he majored in English, was a member of Chi Phi and was involved with Heorot. After Dartmouth he began graduate work at Indiana University in the field of literature, switching after a year to fine arts and earning his M.F.A. in sculpture. Richard had two careers. He first taught art at Wykeham Rise School in Washington, Connecticut, and then at Greenfield Community College until 1970. Gradually he changed careers moving to counseling, initially as a volunteer and then as a full-time counselor serving several social service organizations where the focus was outreach to the poor and least-served populations. For two decades he served at Peoples’ Bridge Action in Athol before moving to North Central Human Services of Gardner, where he served until his retirement in 1998 in order to devote full time to his art. Following a dinner with friends and Joy, Richard died peacefully at home. A visitation was held on May 31, when family and friends gathered to celebrate the good man that he was, a man whose life was spent creating and promoting beauty through the arts and serving the needs of the less fortunate in our midst. The gathering had much to celebrate for a man whose life was well lived.