Yvonne “Vonnie” Sue Baldwin, 76, of Farwell, died on April 8, 2025 at CHI Health—St. Francis in Grand Island.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at the United Methodist Church in Cairo. Pastor Kalaba Kapunda and Pastor Joshua Casey officiated.

Brady Creech, Val Killinger, and Zach Harston were the readers.

Brookelyn Harston and Beverly Weibe-Brown were the musicians.

Karly Behrendt and Molly Swartwood were the vocalists.

Musical selections included “Angels Among Us,” “I Can Only Imagine,” and “Precious Lord.”

Zach Harston, Trevin Behrendt, Tanner Swartwood, Brady Creech, David Preissler, and Dan Preissler were the pallbearers.

Brookely Harston, Karly Behrendt, Molly Swartwood, Sydney Davis, and Kennedy Davis were the honorary pallbearers.

Interment was held in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul.

Jacobsen-Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul is assisting Vonnie’s family.

Yvonne Sue Baldwin, the third child of David and Phyllis (Lawrence) Seifert, was born on September 21, 1948 in Loup City.

Vonnie spent her childhood growing up on a farm by Rockville and was active in speech, drama, cheerleading, band, and volleyball. She graduated from Boelus High School in 1966. She was employed at Henningsen Foods in Ravenna from 1966 until 1968, as a dry cleaner for five months in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at Hall County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Services in Grand Island from 1968 until 1972, as Howard County Assessor from 1976 until 1979—receiving her County Assessor License on March 30, 1978— and then at Howard County Farm Service Agency in St. Paul from 1982 until 2008.

Vonnie was baptized and confirmed at the Grace United Methodist Church in Boelus, then transferred her membership to the Cairo United Methodist Church. She was very active in her church, teaching Sunday School, and vacation Bible school when her children were younger. She served on several committees at the church and was the wedding coordinator for many years. She also loved to sing in the church choir with her granddaughters. She served eight years on the Centura Board of Education from 1989 until 1997. She was a member of the Shipman-Mogensen American Legion Unit 201 Auxiliary in Boelus.

Vonnie was united in marriage to her best friend and high school sweetheart, Delvin E. Baldwin on April 20, 1968 at the Grace United Methodist Church in Boelus. They were married fifty-six years. To this union, two daughters were born, Julie and Sandra. The couple first made their home northwest of Boelus until Delvin was called up for active duty two weeks after they were married. They lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado for five months until Delvin was deployed to Vietnam. She then moved to Grand Island and lived there until he returned home. The couple lived northwest of Boelus, northeast of Boelus, and southwest of Farwell until her death.

Vonnie enjoyed life to the fullest and loved working in the field with her husband and always said, “The farm is a great place to live.” Some of her best days were running the stock chopper, auger wagon, and raking hay in the summer and just riding in the tractor with her husband. God and family were the most important things in her life, and they brought so much joy and happiness to her. She also loved spending time with her daughters and granddaughters scrapbooking. Vonnie always said, “I have the best sons-in-law ever!” Her favorite thing to do was cook for her family and friends, and making pies was her specialty. She made her daughters, granddaughters, and many nieces and nephews wedding cakes, and numerous birthday cakes for her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends. She also loved to decorate for many different occasions at the church and her home.

She was involved with the Back-Pack Program at Centura. She welcomed all “newcomers” to the community by giving them a tray of cookies and inviting them to church for many years. She also volunteered at the Red Cross in Grand Island.

Her grandchildren were her life; she said, “Grandchildren complete life’s circle of love” and stated, “My greatest blessings called me Mom and Grandma.” She enjoyed having sleep-overs, babysitting, shopping, trips, and watching all of their sports activities and tried to attend all of them. She really enjoyed playing all kinds of card games, but Bridge was her favorite. She also enjoyed playing Five-Point Pitch and Hucklebuck with her friends. Vonnie loved the adventures of traveling the world with her husband, and they went to almost every state in the United States.

Those who remain to cherish her memory include her husband, Delvin Baldwin of Farwell; two daughters and sons-in-law, Julie and Todd Nitsch of Boelus and Sandra and Grant Davis of Dannebrog; six grandchildren, Brookely (Zach) Harston of Rockville, Karly (Trevin) Behrendt of Rockville, Molly (Tanner) Swartwood of Cairo, Brady Creech, Sydney Davis, and Kennedy Davis, all of Dannebrog; five great-grandchildren, Jarrett and Emery Harston, Zoey and Parker Behrendt, all of Rockville, and Ryker Swartwood of Cairo; two sisters, Barbara (Gerald) Preissler of Giltner, Ramona Casey of Overland Park, Kansas; brother, Larry (Elizabeth) Seifert of Dannebrog; brother-in-law, Irvin (Mary Ann) Baldwin of Cairo; a special friend since 1966, Evelyn Johson of Manhattan, Kansas; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, David and Phyllis (Lawrence) Seifert; infant brother, David “Skipper” Seifert; and mother-inlaw and father-in-law, Martin and Agnes (Anderson) Baldwin.

Vonnie had such a passion for the Centura Backpack Program. In lieu of flowers, please honor her wishes by filling a backpack full of non-perishable food. The backpacks will be placed on the altar to benefit the kids at Centura. Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.jacobsengreenway. com