Amy Gier Baldwin

Amy Gier Baldwin, aged 70, of Newark, DE, passed away peacefully from pancreatic cancer surrounded by her loved ones on December 9, 2024.

In 1954, Amy was born to Thurman Gier and Ethel Macklin Baldwin Snyder as the youngest of four girls. She developed a dear love for music and nature at an early age, spending time practicing piano at her parents’ rural summer home in New York.

Amy attended Dickinson High School from 1968 to 1972 and proudly played in the marching band. She spent her extracurricular hours working for the New Castle County division of the Civil Air Patrol, flying missions in her beloved Cessna and performing in the color guard. After graduating from high school as the valedictorian of her class, she continued to the University of Delaware (UD), earning her BS in Civil Engineering in 1976. She began her ten-year career soon after as a Systems Engineer for IBM.

In 1981, Amy wed William H. Boyd III at the Newark United Methodist Church (NUMC). They had two children, Laura Boyd and David Boyd, several years later. Amy decided to take on the difficult task of raising two children while returning to school to pursue her true passion — music. She graduated from UD with a BA degree in Music Theory and Composition from UD and, in 1992, she completed a MA degree in the same discipline. Thus began a rich, lifelong career in the musical arts.

Amy specialized in playing French horn and loved to perform with numerous orchestras and ensembles. Over her long career, she operated with the Bay Atlantic Symphony, North Atlantic Brass Band, Kennett Symphony, Capitol Brass, Delaware Symphony Orchestra, Newark Symphony Orchestra, Riverside Symphonia, Wayne Oratorio Society, Newark Ukesters, Boobs & Brass, and was a Special Services Pianist at Doe Run Presbyterian Church. Her travels with international bands brought her all over North America, Europe, and even Asia. She played taps at multiple funerals with Bugles Across America and was a great comfort to those who had lost family members of their own. Amy translated her love of music near the end of her life into her classical music radio program on WVUD as the radio host “Belle Canto,” taking great care to create playlists that would inspire future generations to enjoy the classical music as she had.

She dedicated a significant portion of her time to teaching music to young and old alike. Amy taught private French horn and piano lessons from her home, several Kindermusik classes, and played various instruments for NUMC’s Music Factory. In the early 2000’s, she taught the Bugling Merit Badge course at Boy Scout Merit Badge College. At Caravel Academy, Amy wore many hats and held the titles of General Music Director, Director – Band & Strings, and Accompanist. She was the Brass Instructor at the Sanford School and a Long-term Orchestra Substitute Teacher at P.S. DuPont Middle School. Ever-dedicated to teaching in both life and death, Amy donated her body for study to physical therapy students at the University of Delaware.

Community was deeply important to her. She was a lifelong member of NUMC and dearly loved all of her neighbors, cheerfully checking in on them and bringing them food. Her compassion was not limited to the United States — she kept several pen-pals growing up in England, France, and India. In addition to her musical teachings, she took active roles in leadership for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop and her son’s Boy Scout troop. She took the initiative to hand-sew “pussyhats” for the the 2017 Women’s March in Washington DC and created woven masks in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, providing relief to local individuals and hospitals.

Amy held an integral connection to local wildlife and nature. She was the Delaware Water Resources Center Program Coordinator from 2001-2006, and moved on to a position with The Nature Conservancy afterwards. Her rose garden, native plant garden, and special butterfly garden decorate the landscape at her home and she was delighted to tend to them. She could identify most plants, trees, and birds by name, and knew each of the birds’ songs by ear.

The family would like to acknowledge the gentle, loving care provided by the Delaware Hospice team and the caregivers from Aging in Place: Janet, Albertha, Stephen, Kyrstal, and Deyja.

Amy is predeceased by her parents Thurman Gier and Ethel Macklin Baldwin Snyder; she is survived by her stepfather Brian Snyder, her sisters Susan Gier, Dr. Gail Larkin, and Alison Totten, and her loving children Dr. Laura Boyd and David Boyd.

A memorial service will be held at Newark United Methodist Church at 1pm on Saturday, February 22nd, 2025. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Newark United Methodist Church, the Delaware Nature Society, Meals on Wheels, and/or your local branch of the SPCA. Interment will be held privately.