Richard James Baldauf

COLUMBIA - Richard James Baldauf, 69, of Forest Acres, passed away Sunday, December 11, 2011, surrounded by his loving family and faithful companion, Gizmo. A memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, December 15, 2011 at Eastminster Presbyterian Church by the Rev. Bradley W. Smith and the Rev. L. Craig Wilkes. The family will receive friends in the Adult Reception Hall at Eastminster Presbyterian Church on Wednesday at 5:30-7:30 p.m. and immediately following the service on Thursday. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.
Mr. Baldauf arranged for his body to be donated to the Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Neuropathology Laboratory to help improve the care and treatment of patients suffering from devastating neurodegenerative diseases.
Born in Painesville, Ohio, he was a son of the late Clarence William and Mary Ellen Bruce Baldauf. He lived in Texas and Virginia before moving to Greenwood, where he was graduated from Lander College with a B. S. degree in Business Administration. He was a veteran of the U. S. Navy and was employed as a District Network Manager by United Telephone of the Carolinas before moving to Columbia in 1987 to work in the administration of Gov. Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. He retired from the State Energy Office in 2007. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church.
As an active participant in the Greenwood community, Mr. Baldauf was a member of the Lander College Business Advisory Council, the Greenwood High School Advisory Council, the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce. He served as chairman of People for Parks, Board Trustee and Division Chair for United Way and a founding organizer of Leadership Greenwood. He was actively involved with the Greenwood Community Theatre, Greenwood County Museum and St. Mark United Methodist Church.
He was a former chairman of the Greenwood County Republican Party, a member of the county committee and a delegate to numerous county and state conventions. He was a former Vice-chairman of the 3rd Congressional District GOP. Mr. Baldauf was a Co-chairman of the Salute to Two Presidents dinner in 1983 honoring President Ronald Reagan and Sen. Strom Thurmond and a member of the Re-elect Thurmond Committee in 1984. He was a member of the Governor's Task Force on Citizen Participation in Education.
Surviving are his wife, Mary Kay Baldauf; daughters, Mary Pat Baldauf and Elizabeth Anne "Beth" Baldauf, all of Columbia. Also surviving are brothers, William Baldauf of Dayton, Ohio, Raymond Baldauf of Pittsboro, N.C., Benjamin Baldauf of Tacoma, WA., Bruce Baldauf of Parma, Ohio, Stephen Baldauf of Columbus, Ohio; sisters, Esther Underwood of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Rose Moore of Concord, Ohio, Mary Prise Strzelczyk of Williamsburg, VA, Ruth Ann Yokie of Cordova, TN; and special friends, Mary and Scott Elliott of Columbia and their children, John Douglas, Frannie and Will. He was predeceased by his brother, Clarence Matthew Baldauf of Chapel Hill, N.C.
Memorials may be made to Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Road SW, Lilburn, GA 30047, Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. Neuropathology Laboratory, 19 Hagood Avenue, Suite 806, MSC 250510, Charleston, SC 29425 or Fairfield County Animal Adoption Center, P.O. Box 60, Winnsboro, SC 29180.
The family is deeply grateful to Dr. Bradley Word and staff in Columbia, the Care Team at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, faithful friends and visitors from First Presbyterian Church, the wonderful home caregivers with Harmony Care Hospice and all of those involved in his care over the past several years.
Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com.