Reemt Rikkelds Baumann

(News story) Reemt Rikkelds Baumann, a professor emeritus of educational research at the University of Toledo who was a U.S. Army veteran and a devout Lutheran, died Oct. 9 at Ohio Living Swan Creek senior community. He was 89.
He died of pneumonia, his daughter, Cindy Nutter, said

Mr. Baumann, who had a doctorate in statistical research, retired in 1997 after 31 years on the faculty. He was a former director of UT's division of foundations in UT's College of Education.

He was also a former member of UT's faculty senate executive committee and faculty representative to the board of trustees' building and grounds committee.

In 1977 and 1997, he received the university's outstanding teacher award.

Dale Wiltse of Toledo, a former student of Mr. Baumann's, said he was "a conscientious and dedicated professional educator who was focused on his students."

"He was able to respond to them and teach them in such a way that they were able to gain a good understanding of educational statistics," Mr. Wiltse said. "He was very patient and he was able to differentiate his instruction toward the different learning needs of his students."

In retirement, Mr. Baumann took several classes at UT, including calculus, because "he thought he was forgetting something" and because he enjoyed learning and was "a student at heart," Mrs. Nutter said.

"To catch the essence of my dad, you have to understand that many students who took his class weren't very good at math. But he was very patient with them. And they were immensely appreciative of him. He just went above and beyond to be helpful," she said.

"And he certainly inspired us [his daughters] to go to college. And he certainly inspired me to become a teacher. He was a role model for me," she said, adding that her father had helped a lot of students with their research and had served on dozens of doctoral dissertation committees at UT.

Mr. Baumann was born Nov. 18, 1928, to Richard and Bertha Baumann in Milwaukee. During his junior-high and high-school years in Milwaukee, he worked at a family-owned German restaurant before graduating from high school.

In 1951, he graduated from Valparaiso University with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics.

Later that year, he was drafted by the U.S. Army and served as a typist during the Korean War, mainly in Japan, until his honorable discharge with the rank of private first class in 1953.

Mr. Baumann later continued his education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, getting a master's degree in educational measurements and a doctorate in statistical research.

While working on his dissertation, he briefly taught at a high school in Sevastopol School District in Wisconsin's Door County and then at the University of Rhode Island.

He was a member of Community of Christ Lutheran Church, Whitehouse.

His former memberships included Olivet Lutheran Church, Sylvania, where he was a past treasurer and member of the congregation council, and Memorial Lutheran Church, Toledo, where he was a past treasurer, congregational president, and church council member.

"Religion was very important to him," his daughter said. "He was adamant about the need to serve others, to be helpful to others."

In his free time, Mr. Baumann enjoyed the company of his family, played bridge, or went bowling or golfing with his friends. He also was a big fan of the University of Toledo Rockets, the University of Wisconsin Badgers, and the Green Bay Packers.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Joan Baumann.

Surviving are his daughters, Cindy Nutter, Kari Kenna, and Amy Baumann; sister, Anneliese Bergmann, and nine grandchildren.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Community of Christ Lutheran Church, 6517 Finzel Rd., Whitehouse, where a memorial service will immediately follow at 11 a.m.

Arrangements are by Maison-Dardenne-Walker Funeral Home.

The family suggests tributes to the Community of Christ Lutheran Church Stained Glass Fund, University of Toledo College of Education Scholarship Fund, or a charity of the donor's choice.

This is a news story by Mike Sigov. Contact him at sigov@theblade.com or 419-724-6089.