DAVID M. BALDWIN, 85, of Vero Beach, Florida and Short Hills, New Jersey, died peacefully at his Florida home on February 16, 2014. David will be remembered as a caring gentleman, a loving husband and father, a hugely accomplished New York real estate investor and a champion in athletics, philanthropy and community enrichment.
David was born in East Orange, New Jersey in 1928, and was raised in South Orange, New Jersey. The memorable summers of his early years were at the Baldwin family compound at Northampton Shores of Southhampton Township. He graduated from the Pingry School in 1947 before attending William and Mary College and graduating in 1951 from Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration.
David served his country in the counterintelligence unit of the army and in 1954 became a real estate broker with the former Charles F. Noyes Company, Inc.. In 1964, at the age of 35, he became President and Chief Executive of the company, the youngest chief executive officer of a major national real estate company.
He negotiated the sale of the Noyes Company, together with Brown, Harris and Stevens to Mr. Harry Helmsley. This vital partnership lead to responsibility with Mr. Helmsley for many notable properties in New York City and across the country. Among the many awards that recognized his personal accomplishments: in 1964 The Real Estate Board of New York’s “Young Man of the Year Award”; in 1966 its “Most Ingenious Deal in Manhattan” award, and in 1977 “Man of the Year” award from the Realty Foundation of New York. David exclusively represented many major corporations for their headquarters and staffing space. In 1994 following the winding down of the Helmsley portfolio, the David M. Baldwin Realty Company, Inc., was formed to specialize in the management of real estate in downtown Manhattan.
David served on numerous real estate boards and foundations including the Real Estate Board of New York where he was governor and director and the Realty Foundation of New York. He was also the former Chairman and President of the Public Development Corporation of New York City.
Throughout David’s career, he instinctively sought to share his personal prosperity with many institutions and worthy initiatives in education, health care and the arts as a trustee and philanthropist. He was a founding member of the board of the Henry Stifel Spinal Cord Injury Foundation and ultimately a Vice-Chair of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation; at Lehigh, he enabled the renovation of The Taylor Gym and created an endowed scholarship fund; at the Pingry School, his generosity helped enable a new campus and he commissioned a monumental bronze replica of Dr. John Pingry; he served as a longstanding Chair of the Strang Cancer Prevention Center in New York and was a member of the board of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; he also served as Vice Chairman of the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach and he generously supported Overlook Medical Center in Summit, New Jersey, the Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Florida, and the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, among other charities.
David Baldwin was an accomplished athlete. At Pingry he was an all-star fullback and state ranked track star. Golf, however, was his keenest talent. He was a co-captain of the golf team at Lehigh and in 1954, he won the New Jersey State Open Championship and was runner-up in the National Lefthanders Golf Championship. He twice qualified for the U. S. Amateur and was also Club Champion at Baltusrol, Rock Springs and Essex County in New Jersey. In 2000, he was included in the “Team of the Century “ by the New Jersey Star Ledger. He was a longstanding member of the United States Senior Golf Association.
Club memberships included: in New Jersey Baltusrol Golf Club, where he was President, and the Short Hills Club; in Florida The John’s Island Club, The Red Stick Golf Club and The Windsor Club in Vero Beach; and in New York Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, National Golf Links Club of America, The Meadow Club, The Bathing Corporation of Southampton, The University Club, and Doubles.
Magic was David’s fascination since early childhood. He assembled one of the most prominent personal collections of magic apparatus in the world. As a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, David published biographies of the Great Raymond and of Del-Ray-America’s Foremost Magician. He enabled the creation of a new headquarters for The Magic Circle in London, among the most exclusive clubs in the world. In 1977, David commissioned a bronze figure of David Deviant that has become a coveted award for distinguished magicians around the world. In 2006 as a Honorary Lifetime Member he was awarded the Magic Circle’s Silver Wand for outstanding service.
As a devoted husband and father, he is survived by his loving family which include his wife of thirty-seven years, Barbara M. Baldwin; three sons, David Jr. of Basking Ridge, New Jersey; Alfred of Port Orange, Florida; William of Sag Harbor, New York; two step-children, Martin “Fritz” Stein III of Landing, New Jersey, Kimberly Paige Fleming of Aspen, Colorado; three grandchildren, Liam Fleming, Alexander and Paulina Stein; and a twin brother Theodore Baldwin of Summit, New Jersey.
David is pre-deceased by his youngest son Ted and a brother, Cyril.
Contributions as a memorial may be made in David’s name to The Pingry School, 131 Martinsville Road, Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07920; Lehigh University, 27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015; or The Riverside Theater, 3250 Riverside Park Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32963.
A Celebration of Life Service with military honors will be held at the Community Church of Vero Beach on Friday, February 28, 2014 at 11:00 AM. A reception will follow at the John’s Island Golf Club. http://www.strunkfuneralhome.com (2/21/14)
DEBBY GUY DAIGLE, 57 of Vero Beach, FL, passed away on Thursday, February 20, 2014 at Indian River Medical Center. She was born in Vero Beach and has been a lifelong resident.
Debby was a graduate of the Vero Beach High School class of 1974. She was a receptionist for Pro-Spine Physical Therapy in Vero Beach for the past 5 years.
She was a member of 20th Avenue Church of God and a member of the Garden Club of Indian River County.
Debby is survived by her husband of 11 years, Michael; two brothers, Tom (Pam) Guy of Mattoon, IL and Tony (Marty) Guy of Liberty, NC; 4 sisters, Sandy (Budd) Centrone, Tina Baker, Lynn (Jim) Odom and Vickie (Doug) Wright as well as many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, February 23, 2014, from 5 PM to 7 PM at Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home, 1950 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL. A Funeral service will be held on Monday, February 24, 2014 at 10 AM, at the 20th Avenue Church of God with Pastor Jerry Shephard officiating. Burial will follow at Crestlawn Cemetery.
The family request that memorial contributions be made to the Garden Club of Indian River County 2526 17th Ave, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
A special thanks to Johnny Benjamin at Pro-Spine Physical Therapy of Vero Beach.
Arrangements by Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach, FL. http://www.coxgiffordseawinds.com (2/21/14)
MILDRED (MILLIE) GILLULY, of Vero Beach passed away on February 17, 2014. But that statement does not begin to tell you of her life.She was a warm,loving and vibrant woman who impacted for the better all those whose lives’ she was fortunate enough to have touched.
Born in New York, she was raised in Guttenburg, New Jersey with her parents Gertrude and Rudolph Fleischner and her four wonderful brothers Bernie, Lewis, Joe and Carl. This would set the foundation for the life she would build for her own family. After graduating from school, Millie ventured out into the world where, while working in Manhattan, she met William Gilluly. During the course of their 56 year marriage, Millie left her mark on friends and family from New York to Connecticut and New Jersey and finally Vero Beach. During their over 30 years in New Jersey Millie and Bill raised 4 children, all of whom learned the value of hard work, honesty and above all family. Her children, Susan, Jane, Mary and William Jr. all knew the strength of her love every day. Upon retiring, Millie set out to make her mark on Vero Beach. With the support of her husband she found her niche in the Riverside Arts Center. She picked up a brush and all she saw came to life.
Her friends and family were always grateful for the thoughtful and personal gifts of a memory on canvas. She knew just how to turn her art into love. Millie also spent many years as a volunteer at the Vero Beach public library. This was the perfect venue for her love of reading, community and people. After the death of her beloved husband in 2008, Millie embarked on a new adventure. She found a home and wonderful friends at Pointe West (Brennity), in Vero. There she lived her life to the fullest. She traveled, took classes and made a long list of new friends with whom she shared her love of life and sense of adventure.
Millie’s legacy of love, strength and grace will be shared by all who were fortunate enough to know and love her. She leaves behind her 4 brothers. Her daughter Susan and her husband Michael Zolandz extended her family with their son Michael and his daughters Catherine and Anna, and son Timothy who with his wife Lisa gave her Ryan and Evan. Daughter Mary and her husband Leroy Fawkes enriched her life with daughter Amanda and son Leroy Jr.; William Jr. brought the joy of Allyssa, William lll and Brianna into the fold. And daughter Jane Miller will remember the lesson that it is not who you bring but what you bring to the family that matters.
Although her time with us is over, the ways in which she brought happiness to the lives of others lives on. She joins her great love Bill, and will live forever in peace.
A service honoring and celebrating Millie’s life will take place in the Main Dining Hall at Brennity at 5:00 pm on Sunday February 23, 2014. All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hospice House of Vero Beach, who provided loving care for Bill, (http://www.vnatc.com/foundation/donate-today/)or the Indian River County Public Library, Attn: Tanya Huff, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960, would be appreciated. http://www.lowtherfuneralhome.com (2/19/14)
JUDITH E. ‘JUDY’ LANE, 75, of Vero Beach passed away Tuesday, February 18. A service was held Thursday, February 20 at the Vero Christian Church. www.coxgiffordseawinds.com (2/21/14)
RICHARD DONALD PISSILLO, 60, of Vero Beach, FL, passed away on February 19, 2014. Strunk Funeral Home & Crematory, Sebastian, Florida http://www.strunkfuneralhome.com
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