Obituary of Arthur (Artie) L. Bauer

Arthur “Artie” L. Bauer (88) was born in Milwaukee, WI on October 16, 1928 to Arthur W. and Emily (Dombeck) Bauer and died at his log cabin in St. Maries, ID on December 15, 2016. Preceded in death by his wife Shirley, sons Arthur H. (Thumper) Bauer and Alan (Bucky) Bauer, grandson Matthew Sayler, sons in-law Mitch Presley and Lew Aasgard, and sisters Dorothea Freeman, Ruth Muhich, and Elizabeth Kinlen. Artie lived a full life and lived the way he wanted. To his parent’s dismay and his sister’s horror, he hopped trains and visited 30 states as a teenager before his high school graduation because he wanted to see what was on the other side of the hill. A veteran of foreign wars (Korean), he served as a Staff Sargent in the Army Aircorps and was honorably discharged from the US Airforce. Artie was a Metallurgist and worked for the Ladish Company in Cudahy, WI. When he relocated to the St. Maries area he worked for Larry Ragan’s Logging Company and also worked as a realtor; however he didn’t make a great realtor because he would point out everything wrong with the houses and convinced his clients not to buy it. He was a member of the Sheriff’s Pose’ and he held a term as president. Artie retired as a sheet rocker. He married Shirley Kobs in 1953 and they had 8 children. Artie moved his clan to St. Maries in 1971. His wife Shirley bought the cabin and property out at Parkline without consulting him first since he was “gone in the woods”. He was very happy with her purchase but did not admit it at first. He raised Quarter horses and loved riding and caring for them. He was very proud to be of Kaszube heritage and enjoyed learning the history of Kaszube. He also loved German Short Hair Pointers, hunting, fishing, debating anything, crossword puzzles, bird watching, and his family. Artie really enjoyed his retirement spent with his sweetheart Wilma and all of their travels, and also enjoyed watching his grandchildren grow up. He was a father figure to many of his children’s friends and his co-workers. He was very proud of his family. Though he was a strict parent, he was not towards his grandkids and he made them feel better after bad behavior with the school updates he received. He would tell them, “Thank God you finally did something wrong, I thought something was wrong with you.” Artie is survived by his sweetheart Wilma Brewer and her children Steve Sitton, Chris Litscomb, and Bonnie Tatey. Also surviving are his children Aaron Bauer of Cottonwood, ID, Heidi (Darden) Sayler of Lewiston, ID, Andrew (Cheryl) Bauer of Lewiston, ID, Margaret Bauer-Henriksen of Post Falls, ID, Gretchen Aasgard of St. Maries, ID, Adam (Holly) Bauer of St. Maries, his sister Evelyn Shingledecker of Caledonia, WI. ID, his sister-in Law Lorraine Kobs (Reuben) Radke of Oconto Falls WI, and brother-in Law Robert (Janet) Kobs of Athelstane WI, 10 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Wilma for her love as without it he would have died a long time ago. His last day was full of chores and a glass of Brandy. “I might travel far to seek what I need, but I always return home to realize where it really is.” At his request, a small private service will take place in the spring.