Samuel Edward Baldridge

Samuel Edward Baldridge, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, born August 5, 1933 in Centerville, Iowa to Noel and Opal Baldridge, departed life on earth and entered the eternal presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 6, 2020 at 11:56 p.m.

Always thankful for the love of his Savior, the love of his family and the love of each other, Sam lived his life in relationship with all who crossed his path. He knew no strangers and his door was always open and his home filled with much love and laughter. He has been described as a larger than life big-hearted teddy bear, great story-telling candy man. But over and over the one word everyone ultimately uses to describe him is loving.

While he lived his early years on the family farm in Milan, MO, when the family moved to Colorado his senior year of high school, the Centennial State would be where he called home. Even though a job transfer many years later moved the family to Alabama, when he returned to Colorado, at the state line he pulled the car over, got out and kissed the ground stating he was home and he would never leave again.

Sam had a multi-faceted career beginning with his service to his country in the US Air Force serving during the Korean Conflict, during which time he met the love of his life, Sandra Lee Armstrong, on a blind date in September 1956. He then proposed in October and they married in December. They were blessed with two daughters.

Upon leaving the service, Sam went to work for the Glenn L. Martin Company (now Lockheed-Martin) overseeing the testing of titan rocket missiles. His career with Martin brought various job responsibilities and promotions, including commendations on a program with the Navy. Although he retired from Martin, Sam was not a retiring sort of guy. He initiated and operated a full service public accounting practice and finished his career with Integrated Information Technology Corporation where he officially retired for the final time (although he continued as a seasonal tax preparer for a total of 40 years.) Yet even that was not the end as he eventually “volunteered” as a Veteran Service Officer for the Douglas County Veteran’s Administration office. It was only recently he retired his last time, at which time he was recognized in a special ceremony by the Douglas County Commissioners for his 13 years of service. Sam was a graduate of Colorado State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He later completed advanced accounting, audit and tax curriculum at Metro State University.

Sam lived life to the fullest with all the fullness he had to give. As a farm boy at heart, he loved a good fair and rodeo and made annual pilgrimage to the National Western Stock Show in Denver each January and the Douglas County Fair in Castle Rock each summer. It was not uncommon to find him during the summer “burning” a few steaks on the grill and churning homemade ice cream for dessert. Much like Tom Sawyer, he enlisted his daughters, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren in the hand-cranking of the ice cream freezer, stepping back to supervise the effort.

Blessed with a deep baritone voice and love of music, Sam was involved in his church choirs and passed his love for music to his daughters. He was asked regularly to be the soloist at weddings (even singing the Lord’s Prayer for his daughter’s wedding). Undergirding everything else was his love for His Savior that led him each day in each and every relationship.

Sam is preceded in death by his parents, sister and brother. He is survived by his wife, Sandra (Armstrong), daughters Lori Ann Hill and Sheri Renea Brown, grandchildren Eric Hill (Whitney), Ben Brown (Allison), Jason Hill (Maggie), Rebecca Brown Strickland (Clay) Elizabeth Brown Glosson (Jeremy) and 9+ great-grandchildren: Samuel Hill, Garrett, Abby, Lydia, Eli Strickland, Jacob, Caleb, David and Nathan Glosson.

In lieu of sending flowers, the family asks that donations be made to New Hope Presbyterian Church at 3737 New Hope Way, Castle Rock, CO 80109 or the Douglas County Veteran Monument Foundation at 4833 Front Street, Unit B, #433, Castle Rock, CO 80104

Sam loved well, was loved well and lived his life well.