Obituary of Thomas Gerard Bauer

Bauer, Thomas Gerard was born October 5, 1933 and passed away peacefully under Hospice care on April 20, 2024.

Tom Bauer grew up in the Midway area of St. Paul, MN. He attended St. Columba Catholic school and graduated in the Cretin High School class of 1951.

A love ot travel and adventure began during the summer after high school, he and a friend hitchhiked to North Dakota to work on crews building of the Garrison Dam. Later while stationed in France with the US Army he traveled to Switzerland to visit relatives and to many cities in Europe including Rome and Paris.

He married Rose Ann "Penny" Larson in 1956. Penny and Tom were married for 64 years, before her death in 2021. Penny shared Tom's love of travel. Their trips together included walking in the footsteps of St. Paul through Greece, Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. They travelled in Asia to Japan and Thailand, among many other adventures.

As people say "he could talk your ear off". He had a great sense of humor, loved to tell stories. Whether you'd known him all your life, waited on him in a store, or chanced by him in the grocery aisle you were going to feel his charm. For the last 20 years of his life Tom organized and coordinated a monthly luncheon with members of his Cretin High School graduating class, first at O'Gara's Bar and Grill and later at Skinners Pub..

He was an excellent mechanic and as a young man owned a filling station and auto repair business before going to work as a mechanic at the 3M Chemolite Plant where he worked until he retired.

Tom had many talents and interests. He played piano, organ, accordion, and banjo. He was a builder and always had a DIY project, from home remodeling, assembling a Color TV from a kit, and building Dune Buggies. He was a member of Northern Lights Pyrotechnics that conducted firework displays for large events. He was an early techy and led training of employees in his department at 3M in the transition from paper records to computer entry.

Tom's final adventure-with assistance from his care giver and support from his family-was a road trip to North Carolina in the Autumn of 2022. His destination was Clemens, North Carolina to visit Marilyn Reins, a friend he hadn't seen or talked with in over 70 years. Initiated by Tom they traded daily phone calls of support and companionship that led to an in person visit. On returning home they continued their friendship by phone.

He preceded in death by his father Harry S. Bauer; his mother Alma Schudel Bauer; a brother Harry J. Bauer; a sister Patricia Capistrant and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to Presentation of Mary Catholic Community; The American Cancer Society or the Alzheimers Foundation.

Mass of Christian Burial Tuesday May 14 at 11:00am with visitation one hour prior at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1725 Kennard St., Maplewood, MN 55109. Private interment Ft. Snelling National Cemetery.