Shirley Fenn Baldwin Hartman died in the sanctuary of her home in Salt Lake City on June 3, 2017.

She was born to Donald Fenn Baldwin and Luella Belle Macklin, in Patchogue, Long Island, New York on July 15, 1922.

A woman of sharp intellect with an insatiable curiosity about the world, she freely shared her considerable talents with others. As a master seamstress, accomplished gardener, collector and creator of art, lover of birds and nature, and avid reader, she was perfectly suited for her dream career as a mother and homemaker. In her early years, Shirley lived in her beloved Bellport, NY, followed by a move to Albany where she was selected to attend the prestigious Milne upper school. Upon graduation she received a scholarship to attend Alfred University where her love of reading and books led her to earning a degree in English Literature and Theater. While at Alfred, she met Guy Hartman, who she married on December 28, 1943. In her junior year, she learned she was expecting her first child, but this did not deter her from completing her degree, which she did in June of 1945. On the heels of WWII, Guy became a military physician-in-training and was deployed to Germany in 1948. The three years they spent in Germany were happy ones, and there, they welcomed their second child. Returning to settle in Claremont, CA, Shirley fondly remembered the day the missionaries knocked on her door, changing her life forever. She and Guy were baptized as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1953, and were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1955. By 1958 three more children completed their family. Shirley’s love of children’s literature and drama made her ideally suited for her job at the KCET, LA radio station, reading for the Children’s Story Program. Her diverse talents were indispensable in fulfilling her varied church callings. Her reputation as a skilled writer with theater experience paved the way to some of her most cherished church assignments. Acting as playwright, she wrote and directed numerous church plays and programs. She enjoyed great success and a sense of fulfillment from the creation of these memorable and moving productions. Shirley was passionate about genealogy and deeply dedicated to preserving the legacy of her family. Her remarkable sense of beauty and style was evidenced in every aspect of her life and her spirit was fed daily by the wonders of the earth. She shared that spiritual bond with others and there was nothing more important to her than those connections. The values she was taught as a child compelled her to become a person of uncompromising integrity and honesty, and she dedicated her life to her pursuit of excellence in all things.

She is survived by her five children: Eric Vreeland Hartman, Fenn Elizabeth Ketchoyian, Christina Hartman Fairweather, Peter Bain Hartman, and Juliana Hartman Erdody. Her posterity includes 21 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren, and 4 great, great grandchildren.

Graveside service and burial will be on July 15 at 2pm in the Cossayuna Lake Cemetery, Argyle, NY. Arrangements are in the care of M.B. Kilmer Funeral Home 123 Main Street, Argyle, NY 12809.

If you wish to make a tribute donation the family suggests the Natural Resources Defense Council at www.nrdc.org/honor or the Audubon Society. If you have memories or stories of moments shared with Shirley the family would appreciate hearing from you online at jerdody@earthlink.net

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