Duane and Bette Baldwin:

Duane Baldwin was born in East Chicago, IN on May 11, 1931. He was born at home during the Depression. After high school he took a 2-year course in Electrical Mechanical Maintenance at Purdue University. He was First Engineer & Foreman running the power plant at Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co, a steel mill in Gary, IN. He worked there 30 years.

Bette Baldwin was born in Hammond, IN on April 19, 1931. Duane interjected, “I married an older woman”. Bette was a model student in school. She said, “I never even went to the office.” Duane whispered, “Teacher’s pet”. Bette studied Radio & Communication at Indiana University NW for one year. She said, “I never did anything with it, but it was interesting.”

Duane and Bette’s friends set them up on a blind date. Duane said, “I was blind. She was the date.” They went to a Boy Scout Awards Dinner and then dated for one year. They were married Feb 4, 1956. They lived in Cedar Lakes, IN for one year and Gary, IN for 18 years. This is where their 3 children were born. Judi now lives in IN, works at Jewel Store and has Carl and Cody. Scott lives in UT, is a meat cutter and has Duane II and Sabrina. Karen has lived in Russia for over 2 years. She teaches English. The Baldwins lived in Highland, IN for 7 years before Duane retired in 1981.

In June, 1981 Duane & Bette moved to Boulder, WY. They had been coming here each summer since 1972 when they purchased property. They knew right away that they liked this country. Duane worked for Jim Mariner at his Print Shop, for Delgado as station manager, 4 years for the County Attorney as an Investigator, Sheriff’s Department dispatcher for 1 year and Detention Officer for 6 years. During that time, in 1981, they bought the Ox-Yoke Campground in Boulder, which Bette ran. Duane said, “She was Management. I was Labor”. He retired again in 1994. They sold the campground and became Snowbirds. This year they have sold their WY property and will live full-time in Deming, NM. Everyone at Rendezvous Pointe will miss them. They talked about their years in WY. Bette said, “I used to love the winters here, even when it got down to 63 below and the Jeep would start, but the tires wouldn’t move. They were frozen to the ground. But I miss my recliner, my big house, and the drier climate.” Duane said, “Pinedale is the Eden of the United States.” Bette added, “Or was”. Duane went on, “I’ve never found a town any better and I’ve traveled all over. Pinedale can’t be beat. Or couldn’t be beat. Pinedale has lost its innocence.”

Printed in Rendezvous Pointe (Pinedale, WY, Senior Center) Newsletter, Nov, 2006.

By Judi Myers