Virgil Leonidas Baldwin Virgil Leonidas (Lonnie) Baldwin, age 88, passed away on July 17, 2021, at Asante Medical Center Hospital after a long battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and heart disease. Lonnie was born in St. Johns, Ariz., and grew up and graduated from high school in Holbrook. Lonnie was one of seven children born to Virgle Rasha and Elsie Estelle Pruett Baldwin. His siblings were, Sidney, William, Troy, Dorothy, Joy and Roy. Lonnie lost his father to a work-related train accident when he was 12. Lonnie learned the value of hard work at a very young age. When Lonnie was 10 years old, he would set bowling pins in McNary to help supplement income for the family. While going to college at Arizona University, he drove a Coke delivery truck. His buddy drove a cookie truck and they would meet to have a coke and cookie for lunch. Lonnie married his wife, Marilynn in the Arizona Temple in 1963. Lonnie was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a British mission and stake mission in the Reno area before his marriage. Lonnie served 26 years in the United States Air Force and retired honorably as a colonel. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War. During his service, he earned many awards including the Bronze Star. Lonnie and his family spent most of his career overseas including an assignment to NATO Headquarters, Belgium. Later in life, Lonnie and Marilynn settled in Central Point, Ore., where Lonnie enjoyed the slower pace of gardening and fishing. Lonnie is survived by his wife, Marilynn; and six children, Kristin Baldwin-Stewart (Tom), Shawn Stevens (Mike), JJ Eastman (Brian), Tamara Hessler (Peter), Nick Baldwin (Heather) and Monika Crain (Pete). He also leaves behind 17 grandchildren.
