Blair Fahnestock Baldwin

May we find comfort in the treasured memories of those no longer with us.

Obituary

With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Blair Fahnestock Baldwin, 47, of Pomfret, Vermont, who left us early on Monday, April 27. He died peacefully in his sleep due to a sudden cardiac event after spending the weekend with his cherished wife and three daughters. 

Blair lived every day radiating joy, love and a sense of fun. He danced daily to the tunes of his favorite band, Phish. He took his girls hiking in the woods of his beloved Vermont farm. Whether he was taking professional calls or walking through the grocery store, Blair brought his creative, playful approach, elevating the mundane to a grand adventure.

Blair was born April 7, 1979 in New York City, to Deborah Stoddard Baldwin and Blair F. Baldwin. He grew up sharing his time between Southampton, NY and Newport, RI, where he spent long summers with his grandparents, Helen and John Winslow, and his uncle W. Barton Baldwin, and developed a love of tennis and sailing.

For high school, Blair attended St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire. During his time there, he spent a Semester at Sea and a term teaching at an Aboriginal school in Australia. He then started his college career at St. Andrews University in Scotland, where he formed deep friendships, came into himself as a scholar, and learned to focus his brilliance and energy.

Blair transferred to Harvard halfway through his sophomore year, and found himself in Dunster House. There he built bonds of friendship so strong that his rooming group was featured in the Harvard Gazette for the strength of their support for one another despite being very different humans. He worked in the Dunster Grille, and was very active in the Dunster House Committee, taking his role as a Zorbel Meister seriously. He fortuitously served as a Sophomore Outing leader for incoming Dunsterites, during which he met the love of his life, Lindsay Hyde, at Walden Pond.

After graduating from Harvard College, Blair continued to build a community of friends that would become akin to a chosen family, and traveled the world as a consultant with Digitas, further cementing a life-long love of adventure and travel that ultimately took him to six of seven continents.

Blair enrolled in Harvard Business School in 2007. It was there that he discovered his entrepreneurial spirit and became part of a community of founders who continue to champion each other to this day. During this time, he also married Lindsay at a wedding in Southampton that was attended by family and friends from around the country and the world.

Following his time at HBS, Blair immersed himself professionally in the world of startups. He founded and led four startups over his career, and played critical leadership roles in five others. He also provided mentorship and generous advice to hundreds of early-stage founders.

Together, Lindsay and Blair lived full and rich lives. Blair was a true partner in all aspects of life. No matter what Lindsay was doing, Blair showed up and did whatever needed to be done. Anyone who knew him knew he was her biggest champion, her greatest love, and her teammate in the good and hard moments of life.

He extended this devotion to his many friends and colleagues. Over the years, Blair was the person many called to share the best and most terrible times. He effortlessly sustained connection with people from many eras of his life, and will be mourned and deeply missed by countless members of the many communities to which he belonged.

Blair’s mother says that from his earliest days, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up he said, “A father.” In addition to his many personal and professional achievements, Blair first and foremost focused on being a great dad to his three girls: Campbell, age 9, Jones (JoJo) age 6, and Hawthorne (Hattie) age 2. Blair was an active volunteer in their school, sharing his love of skiing through the school ski program. He told original bedtime stories every night from his vivid imagination, and built family traditions like Taco Tuesday, annual camping trips and morning Phish dance parties.

Blair is pre-deceased by his father Blair F. Baldwin and his step-father Charles Moulton. He is survived by his mother, Deborah Stoddard Moulton, his sister Sarah Moulton Faux and his uncle, W. Barton Baldwin. He leaves behind his wife, Lindsay Hyde, and their three daughters.

Service Details

Aservice will be held at St James Episcopal Church at 2 St. James Place, Woodstock, VT 05091 on Saturday, May 9 at 10:00am. A brief reception will follow at the church. Blair loved a party but hated black. Please come in clothes that feel appropriate for mourning together but (if possible) are not black. 

Gallery - (No photos showing the girl's faces 🙏)

Memory wall

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