Theodore Belton Baldwin

Dearest Emily and Family,

Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. May God bless and keep each one in His loving care.

Benny and Martha Whitaker

Belton’s death was such a surprise to us, though we knew of his illnesses.

We loved him and will surely miss him

Love to my sister, Emily and all the family.

We are sorry for your loss. If there is anything we can do, do not hesitate to let us know. Just know are thoughts and prayers are with you.

Dear Emily, Nancy and family, James and Tina,
Clara G. and Clara M. told us about this site. We send our sympathy and love to all of you.

His last days were extremely painful for him and all who love him. I could not help him and it was unbearable. Belton was an unsung hero. He gave over four years of his young life to his country as a soldier (medic) during WWII. He never had much worldly possessions but was generous to a fault with the little that he had. He may have suffered from posttraumatic syndrome. He may have been somewhat misunderstood at times because of it. His anger would flare on occasion. He did not seem to want to talk about the war and avoided questions about it with the exception of a comment now and then about the horror of it all. One night it got very cold and he found his old Army blanket and spread it over himself. He called me the next day and said that old blanket still had a few nightmares in it and that he had one that night.

He could be difficult and he could be kind and compassionate. He loved planning little surprises for those he loved…like springing a surprise birthday party, nice gift, or giving something he grew in his garden to family, friends or strangers. Many times, he would pick a bushel of beans from his garden and bring them to my house and to Mary’s (sister), or give me a much unexpected gift…like roller skates, a pup tent, a bicycle or in later years something like an apple peeler, etc. He and Mom were always very, very close. She worried, cried, and prayed a lot for him and for Burnett (brother) during the war. I will never forget how she monitored every news broadcast on that old radio, hoping to hear an encouraging word. The generation who lived during that war soon will be gone. Most younger people don’t seem to honor God and country or even understand the history of this country as they did back then. There’s little or no patriotism or appreciation for sacrifice’s made then and for the freedom we enjoy now. Thankfully, this country finally got around to making a memorial to WWII vets. Unfortunately, not soon enough as Belton did not live to see it. I wonder if he ever knew his generation is known as the Greatest Generation. The heroes of that war go largely unsung. They were not whiners; they expected little and got less. He often said, ‘Nobody wins a war’. That is probably true, but thank God for those willing to try or die. He was not a person who socialized a lot in crowds and mostly kept to himself in a quiet corner with one or two people and chatted with them. When pictures were made, it was always difficult to find him in the crowd as he seemed to stay off to the side. He loved Sandy Mush, NC, where he lived a good part of his life. His memories seemed to center around events that happened when he lived there as a young man. I loved him more than I realized when I had him. He is gone now but I have hope of seeing him again soon in a better place. This in memory of you Belton, my beloved brother.
Lois Angel, Sister