Evelyn Baumann

Evelyn Jean Ford Baumann, a part time resident since 1978, full time for the last 10 years of Cocoa Beach, FL and previously of Annapolis, MD for 8 years and Seabrook, MD for 37 years died at her home on Thursday, May 21, 2015. She was 89. Born May 7, 1926 in Fairmont, WV, to the late Ruby Rogers and Claude Henry Ford, Evelyn was a 1944 graduate of Fairmont High School. Following high school, she moved to Washington, DC during the years of World War II to begin her career in Federal Service with the Social Security Administration. In 1949 in the Student Union of George Washington University, she met Robert Coile Baumann, a young former marine attending school on the GI Bill. Bob and Evelyn married later that same year. She shared his exciting career with NASA and the space program until his death in 1997 after 47 years of marriage. Evelyn rose through the ranks of Federal Service ending her career as an Employee Relations Specialist with the Agriculture Research Service (ARS) of the USDA with retirement in 1995 after a career spanning 50 years. Evelyn organized national awards ceremonies for the Agricultural Research Service. She received the Agriculture Research Service Award in 1993 for her work as part of a team that developed a comprehensive plan for implementing Human Resource Management strategies in the ARS. She was certified by the National Association of Suggestion Systems as an Administrator of Suggestion Systems. In 1996 Evelyn was awarded the USDA Group Honor Award for Excellence for her work reinventing and improving the USDA employee awards program. Evelyn had a way of adapting to, and assuming control of, any situation. Her resourcefulness could always be counted on. When Bob invited visitors from the European Space Program over for dinner at short notice, she calmly served them the meal she'd made for her family of seven, and then fed the kids spaghetti in the kitchen afterwards. "If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would you pick?" she was fond of asking. In the last years of her life, she would enjoy small bowls of her choice, ice cream, almost every day. She ran a tight ship as the president of the Sea Oats Condo Association in Florida, using her natural and well-honed leadership skills to come out on top over the overly fussy types of retirees who had too much time on their hands and used it to complain about sidewalk ordinances. Evelyn knew how to enjoy life. When in Florida, she and her friends would sit out for cocktail hour each night as the sun disappeared over Cocoa Beach. They became affectionately known around the condo as the "Sundowners". She was always up for adventure, from family camping trips to NASA related visits to Europe with Bob. Later in life she kept busy visiting all of her children in their many different homes, and taking cruises and trips with her friends. Her generous and loving spirit and her wise advice will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Bob and Evelyn had three daughters, Christine Baumann Feurt and husband, Ward of Kennebunk, ME, Elizabeth Baumann Bussey and husband, Steve of Newburg, MD and Cindy Baumann Hauf of Cape Canaveral, FL; two sons, Robert A. Baumann of Edgewater, MD and William C. Baumann and wife, Linda of Seabrook, MD; three granddaughters, Katie Baumann Salamy and husband, Rick of Greenbelt, MD, Jamie Bussey of College Park, MD and Kelly Feurt of Woburn, MA; six grandsons, J Baumann and wife, Sarah of Merritt Island, FL, Chad Baumann and wife, Marie of Port St. John, FL, Jesse Bussey and wife, Krista of Sterling, VA, Lucas Bussey and wife, Nehal of Silver Spring, MD, Adam Baumann of Middle River, MD and Christopher Baumann of Crofton, MD; four great-grandchildren, Jack, Olivia, and Alexander Baumann and Alina Bussey; a brother, William Ford and wife, Eva of Jane Lew, WV; one late sister, Dorothy Ford Hudkins and her husband, James William Hudkins of Auburn, AL and former daughter-in law, Dianne Baumann of Annapolis, MD. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, May 28, 2015 at 10:30 am at Lakemont Memorial Gardens, 900 W. Central Ave., Davidsonville, MD. A gathering for family and friends will be held immediately following the graveside at the home of Robert A. Baumann. Because of Evelyn's love of flowers, they are welcome or donations may also be made to the Parkinson's Action Network at http://parkinsonsaction.org/about-pan/