LEROY HENRY BAUER, SR.
Le Roy Henry Bauer, Sr., 84 of Winnie, died October 27, 2006 at the Winnie Community Hospital.
A native of Nome, Texas he was a life long farmer, rancher and resident of Winnie. LeRoy was a Past President of the Lion’s Club, Chambers of Commerce of Winnie-Stowell, Historical Society and Texas Rice Festival. He helped to establish the WSHF Little League and the Beachway shopping center. LeRoy was a founder of the Gulf Coast Bank in Winnie and remained on the Board of Directors until it was sold. He was a life time member of the North American Hunting Club, also a member of the American Rice Growers Association, the Texas Cattle Association, the Numismatic Society, and Knights of the Neches and the National Rifle Association of American. Along with his son, Dr. George Bauer they established the Del Rio Professional Plaza in Del Rio, Texas.
Mr. Bauer was a member and Elder of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Beaumont, Texas where he had also served as a Sunday school teacher. Mr. Bauer and his brother donated land and served on the building committee for the Hope Lutheran Church in Winnie, Texas.
LeRoy was born on the homestead of Bauer Farm and Ranch to George Richard Bauer and Ruby Gaus Bauer. He was salutatorian of his graduating class of Nome High School and attended Texas A&M University for half a semester. Due to a serious illness LeRoy had to return home and spend a year recuperating. Then he continued helping his father in the rice field during World War II. During this time he also worked in the fields with German prisoners of war planting and harvesting rice.
He met his future wife at church. He married Patricia Anita Brown Vogt Bauer on November 10, 1945. After living with his parents for two years they moved into a ninety-nine year old house on a dirt road and began their family. Later the old house was sold and a nice big ranch house was built, thus the Bauer Ranch in Winnie was established on what is now Bauer Road. Nothing pleased LeRoy more than getting up early every morning and going out to tend to his cattle or to get on a tractor and working the rice fields. He worked very hard and took pride in his hay field and raising a good crop of rice.
LeRoy was a good loving generous man and loved people. He loved his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved the Winnie community and did what he could to help those in need. He was a fine Christian man who most of all loved his Lord and Savior and shared this with others so they could learn of God’s love and saving grace. His wife would go to the Arboretum just about every day and read the Bible to him. They really enjoyed this time together and sharing what they learned from the Bible.
LeRoy fought a brave battle with inclusion body myositis. He tried his hardest to keep going as long as he could and prayed for a cure. God has now cured him of all illness and he is safe at home and in the arms of his Lord. He was one of God’s children. What a glory he has received in his new life! He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him. He did many wonderful things in his life but most important of all he was a child of God.
He is survived by his wife of fifty nine years and eleven months, Patricia Bauer of Winnie; sons, Hobart Bauer and his wife, Faye of Winnie, George Bauer and his wife, Kathi of Del Rio, LeRoy Bauer, Jr. and his wife, Karen of Houston, Tim Bauer and his wife, Vicki of Winnie; daughter, Connie Kiker and her husband, Ben of Winnie; brother, Robert Bauer and his wife, Mary of Winnie; grandchildren, Ben Kiker, Jr., Paje’ Racca and her husband, Scott, Courtney Bauer, Kati Rzanca and her husband, Jason, Matthew Bauer, Jayme Bauer, Ryan Bauer, Eric Bauer, Tricia Callihan and her husband, Tracy, Jordan Kiker, Lance Bauer and his wife, Shanna, Cody Bauer and his wife, Schelbie, Brook Bozarth and her husband, Cooper, Kelsea Broomas and her husband, Jason; great-grandchildren, Tanner Racca, Madison Racca, Kylie Bauer, Riley Bauer, Addison Bauer, Emerson Bauer, Haily Callihan, Dylan Callihan, and Georgia Rzanca. He was preceded in death by his parents, George R. and Ruby Bauer and his older brother, Orland Bauer.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 30, 2006 at St. Johns Lutheran Church, 2955 S. Major Dr. Beaumont with burial to follow in Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Broussard’s, 134 W. Buccaneer Dr. Winnie. A gathering of family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday October 29, at Broussard’s Chapel in Winnie.
