Janet
My first memory of Aunt Jewel was of her sparkling smile, her gentle ways, her ponytail…and she had gum! This was REALLY great to a kid. I remember their house in Belmont that seemed to sit on the top of the world, with all those stairs and the great deck. In addition to Uncle Gordon, who gave me a ride on his shoulders at the beach, and Jigger the dog, once Mark and Stanley arrived, there was no happier place. She and Gordon loved their sons so much. Aunt Jewel occasionally let us select fabric from her fabric cupboard at their next house–and she had many cute prints with cats etc on them–and she would sew us a dress. She would first fit the pattern on us, so the entire process felt very caring. It was especially meaningful the year Dad was out of work and she sewed Tina and me each a school dress. Her caring ways extended to the entire Baldwin family, and it was the “hands on” type of love that is rare in life. Many people are kind in life, but she was one of those few who rolled up her sleeves, and helped each of us with exactly what we needed. She cooked her beef stroganoff in our kitchen when we had three kids under the age of five. She sewed them doll blankets. In the community, she donated blood. Gerontology was one of her passions, and she brought older people art and craft projects to ease their loneliness. Jewel was truly a precious gem who gave us all so much love.