Category: Obituary

Frank P. LaFranco, Jr. was born In Yonkers, NY on March 17, 1933 to Frank and Lena (nee Lupinacci) LaFranco.

He graduated from Commerce HS in Yonkers in 1951.

He served his country in the Navy during the Korean War from 1952-1954 receiving the National Defense Service Medal for his dedicated service.

He married Joan Timm on April 18, 1954 in Mt. Carmel Church in Yonkers and has three children, Deborah (John) Milone, Louann (Geoff) Hutchby and Frank P. LaFranco III (Sandra).

He is survived by his loving wife off 36 years, Christina Bjurstrom; four grandchildren Kelly (Jeremy) Cotliar, Stephanie Curtin, Nicholas LaFranco and Tyler LaFranco and two great grandchildren, Noah and Benjamin Cotliar.

He is also survived by his sister Rosemarie (Guido) DelBene, sister-in-law Mary (nee D’Angelo) LaFranco and many loving nieces, nephews and friends.

He was predeceased by his brother Robert.

He is also survived by his first wife Joan (John) Calandro, sister-in-law, Helen (George) Kallos and brother-in-law Bob (Laurenelle) Timm.

He worked as a HVAC mechanical engineer for Carrier. In 1976 was hired by Grove Skanska to work in Saudi Arabia.

He later was employed in Saudi by Raytheon.

Upon returning the US he worked as Director of Engineering for Einstein Hospital, and until his illness, Dir. of Engineering for St. Patrick’s Nursing Home in the Bronx.

Frank had many passions and lived life to the fullest.

Early in life he was a motorcycle enthusiast.

The kids in the neighborhood always got treated with a ride around the block.

He was a marksman and enjoyed hunting.

He loved traveling and visited many countries including a “Round The World Trip”.

He especially loved his annual Thanksgiving trip to Riviera Maya.

His greatest passion was golf and was a member of Dunwoodie Golf Club in Yonkers where he got not one but two holes in one!

He had a heart bigger than life and a personality to match.

He never fooled anyone with his tough guy outer shell.

He had a heart of gold and will be deeply missed but the family is grateful he is at peace and no longer in pain.

Frank’s wishes were to be cremated.

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Richard W. Baldwin, of Riverdale and Yonkers, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2020, at Calvary Hospital, after a long battle with acute myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. He was 83.

Born Sept. 24, 1936, in Yonkers to Gladys and George Baldwin, he was a devoted husband to wonderful wife and best friend of 60 years, Susan.

He also was a beloved father to Richard Jr., and Keefe (deceased). He was a faithful brother to Marie and her children Bill, Eileen and Kathy.

He attended Yonkers public schools where he excelled in academics, sports and was voted “best personality” in his senior class.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, from which he was honorably discharged after three years of active duty.

He was the first in his family to attend college, earning a bachelor’s degree from New York University’s University College in three years while working full-time.

He founded a campus civil rights group and picketed Woolworth stores for their discriminatory practices.

He was granted a scholarship to NYU Law School, from which he graduated second in his class, again while working full-time. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1965.

His career highlights include being a partner at Cardillo & Corbett, where he conducted arbitrations and litigations. He was president of Diesel Machinery International.

He was brokerage and management president and later deputy chair of Toisa Ltd., a Bermuda company which owned a fleet in excess of 40 oil tankers, dry cargo ships and offshore support vessels.

His community service included president of Riverdale Neighborhood House, a commodore in the Riverdale Yacht Club, director of Friends of the Hudson River Greenway, a trustee at Horace Mann School, and honors from both the Riverdale Neighborhood House and Bronx Arts Ensemble in 2005 and 2001, respectively.

He loved practicing law, arguing cases and being right. His favorite hobbies included hiking, travel, tennis, platform tennis (he was on several championship teams), basketball, reading non-fiction, fine wines, and collecting Adirondack art.

His greatest love was his family, to whom he was a constant source of strength, wisdom, integrity, guidance, generosity and love.

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