Eldin Bauer

Eldin Charles Bauer, age 99, of Washington died peacefully Thursday June 7, 2007 in Brownlee Care Center of the United Presbyterian Home.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m., Monday June 11, 2007 at the Jones -- Eden Funeral Home in Washington with Pastor Marlene Janssen officiating. Interment will take place at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m., Sunday at the funeral home where the family will receive friends from 4:00 until 6:00 Sunday afternoon. Memorials have been established for the West Chester United Methodist Church, the Heritage Building in West Chester, or the United Presbyterian Home in Washington. Online condolences may be sent for Eldin's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com.
Eldin was born August 17, 1907 in rural Washington County to Gottlieb "Lou" and Bessie E. (Bennett) Bauer. He attended Enterprise Township School, graduated from West Chester High School and attended Iowa Wesleyan College in 1925. Eldin was united in marriage to Nena Wagner on October 19, 1929. She preceded him in death on March 13, 1936. Eldin was later married to Frances Kleese on January 9, 1937 in Toulon, Illinois. Frances died in June 8, 2006. Eldin owned a trucking and corn shelling business for many years and with Frances operated the family's Kamp Kozy Motel and mobile home park on Highway 92 in West Chester. Eldin also owned and operated the Bee Hive Café and a filling station in West Chester. He was a member of the West Chester United Methodist Church, West Chester Lions Club where he was a charter member, and Knights of Pythians Lodge. He served on the West Chester City Council and the West Chester Consolidated School Board.
Eldin loved fishing, growing fruits and vegetables, pitching horseshoes, friendly poker and pinochle games, the changing seasons, coffee with his West Chester buddies and Hawkeye sports. He was particularly fond of good food -- especially fried chicken and pie a la mode. He was devoted to his family and many friends, was proud of his heritage and always loved the Bauer family farmstead, the town of West Chester and the house on Highway 92. Eldin will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
Eldin is survived by his son, Charles (Shirley) Bauer of Snelling, California; daughter, Sandra (Sheldon) Kongable of Winfield, Iowa; son, Thomas (Sandy) Bauer of Iowa City, Iowa; 9 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; and 6 great great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wives, Nena Wagner Bauer and Frances Kleese Bauer; two grandchildren; three brothers, Clark, Maurice and Clifford; and two sisters, Helen Robertson and Faye Miller.