Julian J. Baumel

Julian J. BAUMEL Scholar, soldier and loving husband passed away on January 25, 2006. He was born July 26, 1922 in Sanford, Florida and spent a happy boyhood there and in Brunswick, Georgia where he graduated from Seminole High School. He enlisted in the Army after Pearl Harbor and served in the combat infantry in Europe with the 8th division. After the war, he returned to college earning a PhD in Anatomy from the University of Florida. He spent his professional career on the faculty of Creighton University School of Medicine where he taught human anatomy to thousands of future physicians. A much admired teacher and scholar, he was also an internationally know bird anatomist and compiled the first modern dictionary of avian nomenclature. Upon his retirement, he moved to Seattle with his wife, Mary, and was a visiting scholar at the Burke Museum in the Division of Birds. His fascination with the natural world was infectious and his unaffected charm made him many friends. To his wife of 22 years, Dr. Mary B. Laya, he was a champion, a hero, her first love and dearest friend. He is also survived by daughters, Dinah Baumel-Strang and Felicia Baumel; granddaughters, Shera and Isabella Baumel; son Robert; and his brother, Raymond Baumel. A celebration and Funeral Mass will be held Monday, January 30th, at 3:30 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with reception following. Interment will be at Tahoma National Cemetery on Tuesday. Hoffner Fisher & Harvey Remembrances may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank, 5972 4th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98108.