Virginia "Ginger" Smith Baldwin passed away peacefully on December 31st, 2014 in her beloved home in Stuart Florida. Ginger's 65 years can only be described as a beautiful tapestry of the fine arts, environmental conservation, a colorful array of close friends and an illustrious and loving family.

She was born on March 25th, 1949 in Newark, New Jersey, as a birthday gift to her mother. She was one of two loving daughters born to Joseph F. Smith and M. Virginia Smith Sharts. After the loss of her father in Summit New Jersey at the age of 14 she moved to Winter Park, FL where she attended Winter Park High School, graduating in 1967. Continuing her family's legacy she then graduated in 1971 from the University of Florida with a Bachelor's Degree in fine arts and education with post graduate studies at the University of Central Florida. In Orlando she taught art to all ages including fine arts and graphics at Valencia College where she would meet her husband, David C. Baldwin. In 1978 she gave birth to her only child. Later she became community educational representative and a senior staff artist for the Orlando Sentinel.

Ginger moved to Stuart with her family in 1983 where she immediately became a fundamental part of the budding arts community. Starting with the Center for the Arts as a gallery director she quickly became a community arts activist. Between the years of 1985 and 2001 she worked with local groups such as Case & CO., Live Literature, The Stuart Arts Council and the Lyric Theater. She brought acclaimed authors to the community, she toured the country as an educational visual artist, developed the popular Stuart Arts Fest and was instrumental in the resurrection and preservation of the historic Lyric Theater and arguably downtown Stuart as a result. Over these productive years she gained many honors and awards for her contributions and dedication to the arts community.

In 2002 by becoming a legislative assistant to state Senator Ken Pruitt it allowed her to become passionately involved in environmental conservation. Some of her many accomplishments while working with the Florida Senate include an award winning film for the Loxahatchee River Preserve and the improvement of the quality of Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Estuary, all while being a liaison between the public and Senator Pruitt. Since retiring from her position with the Florida Senate, Ginger has kept busy with her art and wonderful friends and family.

Ginger Baldwin celebrated life to the fullest, could light up an entire room with her smile and has left an amazing legacy to the community of her beloved Stuart, FL. Her father Joseph Smith, her mother Mary Sharts, her sister Sandra Smith, and her ex-husband David Baldwin have all preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter Cara Baldwin Durning, Cara's husband Eric Durning, her grandson David Joseph Durning, her dog Lilli and all of her family in the arts community.

An Online Guestbook is available by visiting www.treasurecoastseawinds.com