Mary Ellen Baldwin, age 72 years, of Flemington, NJ, died peacefully on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at Hunterdon Care Center, Raritan Township, NJ, under the caring watch of Hunterdon Hospice.

Mary was born April 29, 1950 in Somerville, a daughter of Alvin G. and Margaret Johnson Baldwin and lived in the Flemington area almost all her life.

Mary was one of six children in a working-class family. Her oldest brother Alvin L. “Skip” Baldwin died in a car crash in 1958 and the family home in Croton was gutted by fire just three months later.  Then in 1968, her other brother, Michael Baldwin, was killed in battle during Army service in Vietnam. Her oldest sister, Victoria Zelinsky, died in 1994.

She overcame the tragedies during her childhood to become a strong – some would say stubborn – and independent woman.

She was a 1969 graduate of Hunterdon Central Regional High School, where she sang in the chorus. She really loved singing and she and her sisters Betsy and Pat would often sing along together with tunes on the radio. She even performed in a Mamas and Papas cover band.

Mary loved cats, enjoying the company of her Pip and Tip for many years.  She worked hard to support her family including at Flemington Cut Class and the Flemington Acme when she was a young adult.  Later she worked in assembly work at several companies including Top Safety Products in Branchburg and then Presco, the spice mixing and packaging business in Raritan Township. Most recently she was a cashier for many years for the Shammy Shine group of car washes, mainly at the Flemington and Clinton area locations.

She is survived by her daughter, Cindy Giordano of Flemington; two sisters, Betsy Peterson and her daughter Jackie of Raritan Township and Patricia Wright and her husband Terry of Croton and their daughter and son-in-law, Liz and Josh LaBell; and her longtime companion, Bill Swift. He was of tremendous support to her, helping in every possible way. Mary also leaves behind her cat, Jasper.

Her marriage of many years to Robert Giordano ended in divorce but they became cordial in recent years and her family appreciates the compassion he showed during her illness including giving rides to medical appointments and visiting her frequently.

Her family gives special thanks to Meals on Wheels, Hunterdon Hospice, Hunterdon Care Center and the Flemington-Raritan Rescue Squad for assisting her in many ways.

Mary comforted us toward the end of her life by saying “it’s OK .”

Life celebration services will take place on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ. If you are unable to attend the service but would like some words read on your behalf, please click HERE to send an email to the funeral home with your thoughts. Kindly include your contact information.

Interment will be private.

You are encouraged to visit Mary’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.

Memorial contributions in her honor may be made to the Tabby’s Place, via mail to: 1100 US-202, Ringoes, NJ 08551, or online by clicking HERE.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”