Ipswich - Mass of Christian Burial for Caroline Baer, 81, will be 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ipswich with Fr. Thomas R. Clement, Celebrant. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Ipswich. A Liturgical Wake Service will be at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Visitation will be noon to 5:30 p.m. today (Tuesday) at Gramm-Hein Funeral Home in Ipswich and from noon to the time of the service at the church Wednesday. Caroline was born May 23, 1923, to Sylvester and Martha (Meier) Fischer in Belle Township near Ipswich. She was raised on the family farm and attended rural school in Belle Township. She married Edward Baer on June 20, 1944, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ipswich. They made their home in McPherson County, 11 miles north of Ipswich. In 1964 they moved into Ipswich where Caroline was a homemaker and continued to raise their daughters. Caroline spent many hours in her gardens and especially enjoyed the fresh flowers that the gardens produced. She and Edward won the "Yard of the Week" award many times. She also was an avid scrapbooker. She kept mementos from her family and friends in historical fashion for many future generations to enjoy. Caroline never turned down a chance to visit with friends and was fond of going to dances with Edward. For the past 6 years she was lovingly cared for by the staff of ManorCare in Aberdeen. Caroline died Sunday, March 20, 2005, at ManorCare. Her memory lives on in her husband, Edward of Ipswich; five daughters, Loretta (LeRoy) Neuhardt, Mary Gruenstein, Fran (Ron) Mastel and Marcie (Greg) Welch, all of Aberdeen and Roberta (Dave Andersen) Clemen of Apple Valley, Minn.; two brothers, Albert (Katherine) Fischer and Michael (Julia) Fischer both of Aberdeen; two sisters, Katherine (Frank) Feist of Edgley, N.D. and Adeline (Joe) Bruckner of Aberdeen; seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Her parents preceded her in death. Casket bearers will be Lynn Neuhardt, Todd Salfrank, Bruce Kieffer, Jason Gruenstein, Jon Ellerbusch, Joel Bobby and Kyle Welch. Honorary Pallbears are great-grandchildren, friends and caregivers at ManorCare and her friends of her sewing club.
Published in the Aberdeen News on 3/22/2005.