Sharon K. Bauer

A memorial Mass for Sharon will be held will be held Saturday, May 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Divine Mercy Parish, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Bancroft. Visitation will be one hour prior to the Mass at the church on Saturday. Burial will be held in East Lawn Cemetery, Algona. In lieu of flowers donations can be made for a commemorative bench that will be placed in one of the preserves she volunteered at. Details will be updated.
Sharon (Ericson) Bauer was born on November 14, 1941 in Lu Verne, Iowa to Helen (Radil) and Eric Ericson. Sharon ventured out at the age of 15 to Algona, Iowa to be near her sister Yvonne, work and attend Algona High School. The Plantation Ballroom in Whittemore, Iowa was the place to go in those days if you loved to dance and socialize. Though thousands would attend, Frank and Sharon found an introduction one night and as the story has been told, it was love at first sight for them both. A modest, white farmhouse on the edge of Bancroft, Iowa was where they made their first home. David, her first child, was born when she was 18 at their airport in Blue Earth, Minnesota. Julia was born when she turned 19, Michelle the year after and followed by Brenda the year after that. Ten years later they moved across the street into the house they built, later to be known in the area as 'the black house', while also welcoming their 5th and final child Jill.
Sharon put her heart and soul into all aspects of life. She kept a beautiful home, raised 5 children, managed the books for the Bauer Spray Service Company, worked in the accounts department at the Kossuth County hospital, gardened, preserved the yield and cooked delicious home cooked meals, somehow always looking so lovely. Her father immigrated from Borlange, Sweden and she was so proud of her Swedish heritage. One of her highlights was a trip to Sweden to see the house that her father had built himself that was occupied by her cousin. Travel and time with her close friends and family were very welcomed and cherished. Her hobbies included learning French, playing tennis, gardening, cooking, reading and being outdoors.
In the early 80s the family moved to Austin, Texas, where the majority of the family still reside. Sharon continued her career in bookkeeping, being employed by several hospitals in Austin and the Dallas area in their physical therapy department. In 1993 she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. This was the beginning of a long battle she faced head on never losing optimism or her faith. Complications finally grew to become too challenging, so she retired.
In her last chapter of life, she and her partner Thomas Templeton became Texas Master Naturalists and found such joy in volunteering through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center and Reverchon Park were the places she volunteered most of her time. Even with the limitations of MS Sharon always found ways she could help and loved every second of her time with TMN. She and Thomas loved to take vacations together and visit family in Austin and Louisiana.
A few years ago, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's and in its combination with the MS they gradually took their toll. She found great comfort in the care at The Pavilion at Creekwood in Mansfield, Texas. She formed close bonds with the staff and residents and was loved deeply until her final hours. Sharon passed away peacefully on the 26th of December at the age of 82.
Sharon was the loving mother to David Bauer (TX), Julia (Juli) Foley (IA), Michelle Angell (TX), Brenda (Bren) Bauer (TX) and Jill Bauer (TX). She is preceded in death by her parents Helen (Radil) Egel and Eric Ericson, Frank Bauer, her sister Yvonne and husband Bob Holtzbauer, her closest friends Ginger Potter, Rosie and Jean Davis.