Obituary of Everett Badwin

Everett Newton Baldwin, 82, of Stuart, Florida died Dec. 9, 2014 at his home after a long illness. He was born May 30, 1932 in Syracuse, NY to Stanley and Velma Baldwin, and was a beloved brother to Francis and Shirley. After a stint in the US Air Force, Everett began what would become a successful business career in 1957 as a retail salesman for Procter & Gamble followed by several years at Hunt-Wesson Foods. Over the years he climbed the ranks in the food industry, serving as Executive Vice President for the Underwood Company, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Pillsbury, COO of Land O' Lakes Foods, and finally as President and CEO of Welch's Foods from 1982-1995.He is survived by his beloved family, wife Carol Baldwin, their children Gary and Kristen, as well as three grandchildren, three nieces and a nephew.



A charismatic, no-nonsense leader, Everett arrived at Welch's when the juice and jelly giant was struggling to boost its core business and expand into other revenue areas. Under his guidance, the company relocated to Concord, Massachusetts - home of the Concord Grape and developed creative new products including Welch's Squeezables Jelly, Juice-in-a-Box, and sparkling apple cider. In his first five years, sales increased by $40 million and continued to grow in the following years. By 1996, National Grape, Welch's parent company, reached over $550 million in annual revenues.

Though his work was demanding, Everett never let his family forget that their comfort and happiness was his top priority. He always returned home from a business trip with a present for his childrenan Aquaman doll for son Gary, a giant plush purple pig for daughter Kristenand he would personally choose jewelry for his wife, Carol, making sure to include his birthstone, emerald, because he preferred them over her own. No matter how much success he achieved, Everett remained dedicated to giving back; he donated regularly to many charities including Save the Children and the Genesis Fund . He served on the board of The Genesis Foundation, which cares for children with birth defects and genetic disorders. He was also on the Board of Lifeline for many years before they were acquired by Phillips.

He was a a loyal alumnus of Colgate University, where he established the Stanley Everett Baldwin Scholarship in honor of his father, who was an Professor of English Rhetoric at the school for many years.

A memorial service will be held at Palm City Presbyterian Church at 10:00 on Saturday, December 13, followed by a gathering in the clubhouse at Harbor Ridge Yacht and Country Club in Palm City, FL.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Parkinson Disease Assn., Inc. , 135 Parkinson Avenue, Staten Island, NY, 103