Civic Leader Dead At Age 87
A well-known Clay Center resident, Ernest William Bauer, 87, of 833 Huntress St., died at the Clay County Hospital last night. He was born on the family farm in Clay County, the eldest son of Martin J. and Lena (Vogelman) Bauer. He lived on this farm until his retirement in 1947.
He attended school at Broughton. Later, he served on the Broughton School board for several terms. He was a well-known livestock feeder and tested many of the seeds that were put into production in this area. He worked with Kansas State College in testing these seeds and was the first farmer in Clay County to grow hybrid corn.
Bauer served as a county commissioner for two terms. He headed the drive to furnish the rooms in the Clay County Hospital when it was built. In the early 1950s, he planted many trees in the Court House square, at the fairgrounds, and also at the Broughton School. He donated and planted many of the rose bushes at the Presbyterian Manor.
He conceived the idea for the Wakefield Kansas Arboretum about five years ago. He lived to see the 195 acres of land set aside south of Wakefield on Milford Lake by the Army Corps of Engineers. On April 2, 1971, he turned the first spade of dirt for the planting of the first tree on the site. Pupils of the Wakefield School also were at the site for the ceremony and completed the planting of a Redwood Linden.
For many years, Bauer took rosebuds each morning to the hospital for the patients' trays, and he also took roses to many shut-ins and friends.
Bauer donated the first peacocks, the first bear, and a swan to the zoo at Utility Park. The first bear at the park was the father of the little cub which was born recently at the zoo.
He helped organize the Production Credit Association in Manhattan and served as a director of the First National Bank in Clay Center where the K and M Securities Co. is now located.
Survivors are his children and their spouses, Dr. and Mrs. Lafe W. Bauer, Prairie Village; Mr. and Mrs. Gail Bauer, Mr. and Mrs. Wade Bauer, and Mr. and Mrs. Wynn Bauer, all of Clay Center; Mrs. Pera B. Swenson of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bauer of Ness City; 21 grandchildren: Marty, Jon, Ladd, Laird, Diana, Bruce, Brian, Pera Jo, David, Ernest, Nancie, Martin, Linda, LeAnn, Doug, Sue, Karen, Janet, Judi, Pattie, and Pam; and six great-grandchildren: Thad, Amy, Jeremy, Paul, Marc, and Andrew.
Preceding him in death were his wives, Pera (Nemnich) Bauer in August 1940, and Alice (Gardner) Bauer in September 1965, a daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Richard (Pat) Pickett, who were killed in an automobile accident in Argentina in 1968; three grandchildren, Dan Bauer and Allison and Andrew Pickett; two brothers, Harry and Will Bauer, and a sister, Mrs. Nell Meek.
Services will be held Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the Neill-Schwensen Funeral Home, with the Rev. Travis Siever officiating. Interment will be in the Broughton Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home this evening from 7 to 8:30 and until 1 p.m. Thursday.
Civic Leader Dead At Age 87
A well-known Clay Center resident, Ernest William Bauer, 87, of 833 Huntress St., died at the Clay County Hospital last night. He was born on the family farm in Clay County, the eldest son of Martin J. and Lena (Vogelman) Bauer. He lived on this farm until his retirement in 1947.
He attended school at Broughton. Later, he served on the Broughton School board for several terms. He was a well-known livestock feeder and tested many of the seeds that were put into production in this area. He worked with Kansas State College in testing these seeds and was the first farmer in Clay County to grow hybrid corn.
Bauer served as a county commissioner for two terms. He headed the drive to furnish the rooms in the Clay County Hospital when it was built. In the early 1950s, he planted many trees in the Court House square, at the fairgrounds, and also at the Broughton School. He donated and planted many of the rose bushes at the Presbyterian Manor.
He conceived the idea for the Wakefield Kansas Arboretum about five years ago. He lived to see the 195 acres of land set aside south of Wakefield on Milford Lake by the Army Corps of Engineers. On April 2, 1971, he turned the first spade of dirt for the planting of the first tree on the site. Pupils of the Wakefield School also were at the site for the ceremony and completed the planting of a Redwood Linden.
For many years, Bauer took rosebuds each morning to the hospital for the patients' trays, and he also took roses to many shut-ins and friends.
Bauer donated the first peacocks, the first bear, and a swan to the zoo at Utility Park. The first bear at the park was the father of the little cub which was born recently at the zoo.
He helped organize the Production Credit Association in Manhattan and served as a director of the First National Bank in Clay Center where the K and M Securities Co. is now located.
Survivors are his children and their spouses, Dr. and Mrs. Lafe W. Bauer, Prairie Village; Mr. and Mrs. Gail Bauer, Mr. and Mrs. Wade Bauer, and Mr. and Mrs. Wynn Bauer, all of Clay Center; Mrs. Pera B. Swenson of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bauer of Ness City; 21 grandchildren: Marty, Jon, Ladd, Laird, Diana, Bruce, Brian, Pera Jo, David, Ernest, Nancie, Martin, Linda, LeAnn, Doug, Sue, Karen, Janet, Judi, Pattie, and Pam; and six great-grandchildren: Thad, Amy, Jeremy, Paul, Marc, and Andrew.
Preceding him in death were his wives, Pera (Nemnich) Bauer in August 1940, and Alice (Gardner) Bauer in September 1965, a daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Richard (Pat) Pickett, who were killed in an automobile accident in Argentina in 1968; three grandchildren, Dan Bauer and Allison and Andrew Pickett; two brothers, Harry and Will Bauer, and a sister, Mrs. Nell Meek.
Services will be held Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the Neill-Schwensen Funeral Home, with the Rev. Travis Siever officiating. Interment will be in the Broughton Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home this evening from 7 to 8:30 and until 1 p.m. Thursday.
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