Sarah Baltzell

Sarah Handy Edwards Baltzell dies at 77 Sarah Handy Edwards Baltzell, a photographer, beloved mother and gracious friend, died suddenly on August 31st. She was 77. Born in Oklahoma City on May 22, 1932, she was the daughter of Archibald Cason Edwards of Oklahoma and Sarah Stanley Gordon, of Baltimore. Her paternal grandfather, R.J. Edwards, attorney-at-law, was one of the founding settlers of Oklahoma. The Gordons, her mother’s family, were originally from Scotland and settled in Virginia in the 1700’s. Her maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Huntley Gordon of Baltimore were of the First Families of Virginia. Sarah was a debutant in Baltimore. Like her mother, she attended both The Shipley School and Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, receiving a B.A. in 1954. In April of 1954, she married Dr. William Hewson Baltzell IV. The Baltzells lived in Chestnut Hill where they raised their two children, Virginia and Hewson. Sarah loved her adopted city of Philadelphia, finding many outlets for her enormous energy and creativity there. She was an avid gardener, studying horticulture at the Barnes Foundation. She wrote articles for the Chestnut Hill Local of historical and sociological interest and was an active participant in community and civic organizations including the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She was one of the Designing Women, an organization that was founded by Barbara Greenfield for women to join together to invest in businesses that would better the City of Philadelphia. After divorcing in 1974, she moved to New York and worked for The Artful Lodgers assisting in apartment rentals. Shortly thereafter she moved back to Philadelphia as an opportunity arose to work for State Senator Henry J. “Buddy” Cianfrani, where she used her skills as a writer to compile histories of the various communities of Philadelphia. She studied law at Widener University and became a paralegal, and then completed her MBA at Temple University in 1984. She was also an active licensed Real Estate broker. Always interested in arts, Sarah pursued photography with a passion, which became her creative voice. After spending hours of her spare time honing her skills at the Community College of Philadelphia she developed into a photographer of impressive talents. She would find herself in unusual locations such as Angel Alley just off North Broad Street or some undiscovered path of the Wissahickon Park hunting for the most meaningful shot. She traveled to many places in the United States and around the world looking for the next image to capture. Her photographs, especially the portraits of her many friends, betray a deep psychological sensitivity and have been shown in galleries in Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Oklahoma. Mrs. Baltzell was an excellent cook and hostess and regularly gave dinner parties, to which she invited an eclectic group of guests for lively conversation and exotic fare. She was particularly fond of serving deserts made with fresh gooseberries that she grew herself in the community garden. Mrs. Baltzell, who had a discerning appreciation for beauty, was also an avid and knowledgeable gardener. Until recently, she was a member of the Schuylkill River Park Community Garden, as well as the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. In the 1990s she planted street trees in Center City a volunteer for the Philadelphia Tree Planting Project in order to beautify and improve the environment in her community. She was a longtime member of the Acorn Club in Philadelphia where she was one of the “Witches of Wall Street”, their investment club. Her memberships included the Cosmopolitan Club, The Athenaeum, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, as well as the Order of First families of Virginia. Sarah epitomized the graciousness and politeness of a bygone era while embracing the contemporary world with her curious, creative and sensitive mind. These qualities enabled her to preserve friendships from all walks of life. She was a gentle soul and a loyal friend with a sense of joie de vivre. Survived by her daughter, Virginia Southall Baltzell, her son William Hewson Baltzell V, his wife Sheila and their twin boys, Peter Elkins Baltzell and Gordon Digby Baltzell of New York along with two brothers, Archibald Edwards of Boston and Hilary Edwards of Paris, France as well as two sisters, Elizabeth Amato of Rome, Italy and Mary Edwards of New York and five nieces, three nephews, one grand-nephew and three grand-nieces. A memorial service is planned for Friday, September 25 at the Acorn Club, 1519 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19102. 4:00 PM followed by a reception. Contributions can be made to The Philadelphia Sketch Club, 235 South Camac Street, Philadelphia Pa Jacob F. Ruth Funeral Directors, Inc 8413 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19118 (215) 247-9090