Peter Bauer

Peter "Skip" Bauer, a lifelong Chicagoan, died Sept. 1. He was the beloved husband of the late Diana Bauer and father to Don (Janet), Michael (Frank) and Steve (Cathy) Bauer and Karen (Daniel) McCarthy.
Skip was a legend - a true guy from the old school who knew every street, tavern and shady character on the North Side (and probably counted too many of them as his friends). He worked for everyone from thugs to the local alderman, taking immense pride in his years driving for the Tribune and the "odd jobs" he picked up along the way. 'Til the end of his days, he'd swipe anything that wasn't nailed down. We apologize to the doctors for all those missing stethoscopes.
But Skip's greatest love was always his family.
Skip's mother died when he was a toddler, and he was largely raised by his paternal grandmother and step-grandfather in the Lathrop Homes. His family struggled, but he knew how to make good from the bad and, years later, would delight people with stories about playing with a football made of rags. He became the lookout boy for his crew of young friends, known as the Demons; to get in, you had to know the gang's song and had to try to cross the Chicago River while dangling from a local bridge.
Skip loved listening to his grandpa's war stories and watching cowboy shows - passions that would last until the end of his life, with his grandkids and kids teasing him often about his love for John Wayne.
Skip dropped out of Lane Tech High School as a teen so he could get a job to support his grandparents, and he helped care for his grandmother as her health failed. Despite facing poverty and times so lean he sometimes had to sleep in his work truck, he returned to school and graduated at 20 years old.
Not long afterward, Skip was driving on the North Side when he spotted Diana van Skike. He beeped his horn at her - and the two agreed to a date and quickly fell in love. They were together for more than 60 years until her death, constantly making each other laugh and taking their kids on countless misadventures. A favorite memory of Di's was the time raccoons started going through the family campsite, and Skip decided making seal noises would be the best way to scare them off. Skip missed her dearly and would tell those around him about how she was, and would always be, the love of his life.
Skip also loved telling stories about his sons, daughter and children-in-law, and they love telling stories about him - you only have to utter "gold ghost" and they all howl about the run-down family car and the way it had one window held up by a screwdriver. Don't even bring up the time he melted an entire family's shoes at the campsite or swam away from a rabid squirrel.
Skip had 11 grandchildren and nine (and counting) great-grandchildren who adored him, referring to him as their "Bonesy" and "Poppy." He softened up for them, playing with them constantly and proudly telling his neighbors and friends about their accomplishments. With them, he mastered his storytelling, regaling them with tales about how Grandma Bonesy had spent all his pirate treasure when they were young and, as they got older, making them cry with laughter over stories about his tiger underwear and his unique uses for butter.
Bonesy was never afraid of a good story, and he was constantly full of surprises. Until the end, he'd tell his kids about the scams he pulled to give them a happy childhood - a glimmer still in his eye - and he'd shock his grandkids with tales about his days working for the old Chicago Machine.
In Skip's final days, his family gathered around him, telling him how much they love him and recounting all their favorite memories, laughter mixing with tears.
We hope those who knew him continue to do the same for years and years to come. Please feel free to share your stories about Skip in the comments.
A memorial visitation will be held on Friday September 6 2024, 5:00pm- 8:00pm at Cooney Funeral Home located at 625 Busse Hwy. in Park Ridge. Interment private.
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