Rita Baldwin (Crawford) Service Information

Rita Crawford Baldwin passed away peacefully on March 10, 2022, surrounded by her family.   Rita was born in South Philadelphia in St. Edmond parish on September 21, 1932.  She was the only child of her loving parents, Irene (Duffy) and David W. Crawford. She graduated from St Edmond’s, then later West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Girls.  After graduation in  1951, she worked for several years at the Bell Telephone Company.

Rita met and fell in love with Lou Baldwin and they were married on May 21, 1960. Rita and Lou were married for 61 years, until late last year when death briefly separated them on Lou’s passing in October, 2021.  They were devoted to each other, and she is again reunited with her first and only love.

Rita and Lou settled down to have a family- a large one: they raised  9 children, first in South Philadelphia, then they moved to Tacony in Northeast Philadelphia. They were very active members of Saint Leo/Our Lady of Consolation Parish, where Rita served as a lector and was involved in RCIA and prayer groups.  Her work in  RCIA was especially important to her; she loved her Catholic faith and she loved introducing it to others. She was also very active in St Leo School, where she and Lou were volunteer librarians.  Rita got tremendous satisfaction and enjoyment from her library service and working with the schoolchildren.

Rita was as devoted to her family as she was her faith.  She doted on her children, many grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. The children loved visiting their grandparents, who loved their visits just as much, right up until their final years. Rita’s calendar was always filled with children’s birthdays, school events, graduations, weddings, and most of all, visits to and from her family.

Rita also had a lifelong love for baseball and loved attending Phillies games with her children and grandchildren. As a girl, she would go to ballgames with her father at Shibe Park, and as a young woman loved to watch Robin Roberts pitch at Connie Mack stadium. Her passion for baseball continued throughout her life; she was a partial season ticket holder for many years and was well known and loved by many at the ballpark.  The fans, staff, ushers and even the Phillie Phanatic all knew Rita in section 234, and they ask about her to this day.  It was a special joy for her that she was at Game 5 of the 2008 World Series when the Phillies clinched the title.

When her children were grown, Rita developed a love of travel and, with her husband Lou, she went all around the country; whether it was close by to the Jersey Shore  or a train trip along the California coast, or a stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island or visits to the National Parks of the West or further afield to Quebec in Canada or on pilgrimage to Guadalupe in Mexico.  She didn’t stop with North America but went on many trips and pilgrimages to the U.K., France, Italy and Israel.  Rita had a late start on seeing the world, but she definitely made up for lost time.

When Rita was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in early 2021, she told her daughter that she was ready: that she had lived a very full life, had seen her grandchildren grow up and had been able to visit all of the places and see all of the world she had wanted to see. Her family deeply mourns her loss but is glad she is once again reunited with her husband, Lou.

Rita is survived by her children Renie (Mike McGrath), Ellen (Rob) Cohen, David (Christine), Mary (Bill) Hagan, Kathy (Mike Greene), Anne (Gene) Malone, Peggy (Chris) Solitario, Stephen (Julie), and Betsy (John Getty) Baldwin. She leaves behind seventeen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

May the angels lead her into paradise;

may the martyrs greet her at her arrival

and lead her into the holy City of Jerusalem.

May the choir of Angels greet her

and like Lazarus, who once was a poor man,

may she have eternal rest.

Relatives and friends are invited to call Tuesday, March 15^th, from 9:30 to 10:15 at Our Lady of Consolation Church, Tulip St. and Princeton Ave.  Her Funeral Mass will follow at 10:30am.  Interment Our Lady of Grace Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament  or call 215-470-9776.

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