Obituary of Claire Baldwin

Claire Baldwin Santa Cruz lost one of its brightest lights on Sunday evening September 5th with the death of Nurse Claire Baldwin. She died peacefully at her home here in Santa Cruz after a battle with Cancer. At the time of her death she was surrounded by her friends and family, she was 58 years old. Claire Baldwin was born on Yonkers, NY, the third child of Matthew and Elizabeth Baldwin. Claire was raised in Yonkers, NY and Middletown, NY before moving to the Santa Cruz area in 1981. She attended both Blessed Sacrament Academy in Yonkers, NY and Middletown High School in Middletown, NY. Claire graduated from Orange County Community College in NY State in 1980 with a degree in nursing. RN Claire Baldwin spent most of her professional career as a member of the nursing staff at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, most recently in the cardiac unit. At Dominican Hospital Claire Baldwin was greatly admired for the quality of care she provided her patients and she was respected by both the nursing staff and physicians. Claire is survived by her sons Eric and Ryan Schofield, her brothers Brian, Kevin, Patrick and Declan Baldwin and her sister Graceann Gilleland; numerous nieces and nephews. Among her closet and dearest friends were the nurses at Dominican Hospital, a few close neighbors from Otis Street and her beloved "Murphy girls"; Mary, Peggy, Patty, Cathleen and Eileen. Family and friends may pay their respects at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel 1050 Cayuga Street in Santa Cruz, from 2pm-4pm and 5pm-7pm on Thursday, September 9, 2010 with a Vigil Prayer Service beginning at 7p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Cross Catholic Church on Friday, September 10, 2010 at eleven o'clock a.m. May God bless Claire. She will be missed by many.