Kenneth "Rusty" Baumgartner II

1945 - 2019

Kenneth (Rusty) Brooks Baumgartner II, 73, died at home Wednesday, September 11 surrounded by loving family.

Visitation will be held at Rupp Funeral Home on Monday, September 16 from 12:30pm until 7:00pm. There will be a service at 7:00pm officiated by his cousin, Rev. Rex Jones. Per his wishes, cremation will follow.

Ken was born October 1, 1945, in Monroe, Michigan to Kenneth and Evelyn (Nixon) Baumgartner.

Ken is survived by his wife, the former Carol Madon, three daughters, Teri (Dennis) Hoffman of Erie, Kris Robinson of Dundee, and Kelli (Karl) Brandys of Dundee, and two stepdaughters, Anne Boberg Wehner of Monroe and Pam Boberg (Allen) Hale of Maui, Hawaii. He is also survived by grandchildren, Jamie Robinson, Jackson and Elise Hoffman, and Evie and Allison Brandys, and step grandchildren, Elizabeth, Julia and Joshua Wehner and Erin Hale.

Ken is also survived by three sisters, Lynnell (Robert) Gessner, Ruth Baumgartner, and Linda (Tom) Cosby and sisters-in-law, Marilyn Baumgartner and Sherry Baumgartner.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers Fred and Dan Baumgartner.

Ken graduated from Monroe High School in 1964 and married his high school sweetheart, Donna Benner, in 1965. He and Donna had three beautiful daughters, Teri, Kris and Kelli.

He worked as a Pipefitter through Local 671 Monroe, Plumbers and Pipefitters where he made many lifelong friends and retired after 35 years.

The then Carol (Madon) Price took a series of golf lessons from Ken, renewing an acquaintance that had begun in high school. They fell in love and married in 1994. With their marriage, he became the beloved stepfather to her daughters, Anne and Pam. Ken and Carol recently celebrated 25 years of marriage.

As a teen and young adult, Ken participated in many sports, but his passion was golf. During a golf career that spanned 57 years, he won club championships at both the Dundee Golf Course and the Green Meadows Golf Course. He had his first hole-in-one at the Monroe Golf and Country Club while in high school in 1964 and went on to have nine more, the last at the Carrington Golf Club in 2016, where he and Carol had become members in 1998 at its opening. For the last eighteen years they have enjoyed life in a home with a scenic view of the pond on the fourth hole of that course.

He enjoyed sharing his love of golf and taught beginners in Monroe Public Schools Community Education and Monroe County Community College Lifetime Learning classes. He also managed the driving range and gave lessons at the River Raisin Golf Club for several years.

He and Carol loved spending several weeks each winter near Orlando, Florida.

But his greatest joy was his children and grandchildren. His calendar was filled with treks around the county and state watching a succession of grandchildren participate in various sports and activities. He was always up for cool experiences, like zoo trips, ice cream runs, fishing, and boat or helicopter rides. They all loved their Papa.

Memorials in his name are suggested to a charity of the donor's choice.

Online condolences can be made through www.ruppfuneralhomeinc.com.