The University of Wisconsin Law School community is deeply saddened by the death of longtime faculty member Gordon Brewster Baldwin, Evjue Bascom Emeritus Professor of Law. Baldwin died in his sleep in Italy during the night of October 14-15, 2006, after an evening attending the opera with his wife, Helen.

An appreciation of Professor Baldwin’s life will be held at 4 p.m. on November 10, 2006, in Room 2260 of the Law School, 975 Bascom Mall.

Baldwin, a nationally known authority on constitutional law and foreign relations law, was a beloved professor for generations of UW law students. He began his career of teaching at Wisconsin in 1957.

Throughout his distinguished career, Baldwin wrote on a broad range of legal topics, and after taking emeritus status, continued to work as a legal professional, arguing cases at all court levels. He contributed his time in service from the local to the federal level; and shared his legal and political expertise with radio and television audiences as a frequent guest commentator.

"Gordon Baldwin was a beloved member of our faculty for almost five decades," says Law School Dean Kenneth B. Davis, Jr. "He was an expert on constitutional law and governmental affairs, and was frequently called upon to serve the public good. Sometimes a contrarian voice, he made many rethink their positions and we are wiser as a result. While he sometimes sought to play the curmudgeon, his inherent good cheer usually precluded him from being all that convincing. I will miss him deeply as a colleague and friend. All of us on the faculty will have a hard time accepting that we will no longer hear Gordon's robust greeting of ‘Cheers’ as we walk down the halls or enter the faculty common room."

For a recent profile in the Law School's alumni magazine of Gordon Baldwin reminiscing on how he came to Wisconsin to teach, see
https://law.wisc.edu/newsletter-media/2006/1548-v32n1.pdf#page=22.

Memorial gifts may be made to the UW Law School or to the Madison Rotary Foundation. Gifts to the Law School should be sent to UW Law School, 975 Bascom Mall, Madison WI 53706 (attn: Jini Rabas). Gifts to Rotary should be sent to Madison Rotary Foundation, 22 North Carroll Street, Madison, WI 53703. For either organization, please indicate that the gift is for the "Gordon Baldwin Memorial".

Submitted by on November 10, 2006

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