Leo Keith Baldwin

Leo Keith Baldwin of Rochester, WA passed away April 5, 2018 with his family at his side.

Keith was born on April 29, 1938 in Bremerton, WA to Leo and Helen Baldwin. He grew up in the Poulsbo and Silverdale area with his sister Gerry. He graduated from Central Kitsap high school in 1957. During high school, he formed many lifelong friendships that he treasured. One of them was his high school sweetheart, Alverda. They were married on Valentine’s Day of 1958.

Keith and Alverda started their married life in Seattle. They moved to Poulsbo in September 1958 where Keith worked as an apprentice building homes. He later started his own business building custom homes. At times, Keith would build the homes and his Dad would build the cabinets for them. After having two ‘ankle biters’, son Ken and daughter Shari in the early sixties, Keith in 1969 went to work for the State of Washington at Fort Worden as a carpenter. The family moved to Marrowstone Island for a year. His job then relocated him and the family to the Rochester, WA area where he retired from the Washington State Department of Wildlife in 1994.

Keith loved being near the water. After living on the ‘prairie’ for many years, they moved to Lilliwaup, WA which allowed them a water view of the Hood Canal and easy access to fishing, clamming, shrimping, and crabbing. The whole family enjoyed and participated in shrimping; bringing in the pots, cleaning the shrimp, and especially eating the shrimp.

Keith was always busy with something. He loved working on and restoring antique gas engines and tractors. There was always some tractor show to attend where he showed his favorite tractor, a 1926 iron-wheeled Rumely Oil Pull. He also enjoyed participating in local belt sander races with ‘Lars’ his sander, and was even champion of a few races.

Keith and Alverda loved camping. They traveled the western United States and after both retired, spent winters snowbirding in the South. Their trips were spent with friends and family where ever they went. If no one was traveling with them, then they just made new friends.

Keith got great joy from his grandkids, Brian, Cayden, and Brianna. He loved sitting around the campfire and telling them stories.

Keith is survived by his wife, Alverda; his son Ken and daughter-in-law May-Lisa, and their children Cayden and Brianna; daughter Shari and son-in-law, Vince, his daughter Brandy and their son Brian; and his sister Gerry, her daughter Angela and her children Marc and Rachel; and her daughter Wendy and her sons Kyle and Jason.

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