FREDERICK ERIC BALDAUF

Frederick Eric Baldauf of Sunrise Beach, Mo., passed away on April 2, 2010, at the Kansas City Hospice House following a valiant 20-year battle with cancer. Born in Bratislava, Slovakia on April 12, 1935, he survived WWII as Russians and Germans fought for territory in his hometown. It was in the same town he met and married the love of his life Valeria Bilachivova. They raised two daughters in Bratislava and Fred worked as a manager for the Department of Development for the city Bratislava until 1968, the year Russia invaded the former Czechoslovakia. Being an ardent believer of freedom, he escaped with his family leaving everything they owned behind and immigrated to America. He could speak four languages at the time but none of them were English. He quickly found employment with Bayer. He began on an assembly line wearing a gas mask and handling 80-lb. barrels filled with toxic chemicals. He worked his way up to become a lead technician at the pilot plant. He worked for Bayer for 26 years. At work he was known as "No Problem Fred," as he was a great problem solver. He was a superior athlete, a downhill skier, canoe racer, swimmer, runner, weight lifter, and even wrestled a bear. Preceded in death by his parents, Fridrich and Maria Baldauf, he leaves to mourn his passing devoted wife, Valeria, sister, Gita Doubravova, daughters, Susan (Gary) Adams and Andrea (John) Kennedy, grandchildren, Monet and Torin Straub and Tommy Adams, all of whom he taught to swim at his beloved lake house, as well as in-laws and best friends, Vladimir and Mira Neumann, niece, Yvette Neumann. He was an amazing wonderful man who loved America and all of the freedoms it gave him. He will be greatly missed by everyone whose life he has touched. In lieu of flowers the family would ask any donations to Kansas City Hospice House. A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 11, at Westside Family Church, Lenexa, Kan. Condolences may be expressed at: www.porterfuneralhome.com Arrangements: Porter Funeral Homes & Crematory, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, (913) 438- 6444.