Elizabeth L. Bauman

Elizabeth Lucy Bauman, a devout Catholic and amazing woman, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, daughter, and friend, gently and peacefully passed from this Earth into the beauty, peace and love of Heaven, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

Elizabeth was born on November 19, 1929, to Linus Bernard Saunders and Cora Elizabeth (Heckart) Saunders, at the family farmhouse near Benson, Minnesota. She was delivered at home by a midwife because the Doctor was delayed in his horse drawn sled by a snow storm! Fortunately, she had a safe birth and was a healthy newborn, in an era when it was blessed to have each and especially both.

Beth was born one month after the Wall Street crash of Oct. 1929, that signaled the start of the world-wide Great Depression. Beth always highlighted her birth as a “big and not entirely welcomed surprise, as it was another mouth to feed during hard times and not being a boy either to help on the farm.” Beth also always said she was a “Depression baby” and that another girl was “the last thing her parents needed” at that difficult time. It was one of the few times she was wrong. 😃

She grew up on her multifaceted family farm near Benson, which raised cows, pigs, chickens, geese, a huge garden, and multiple crops such as corn and hay. The Saunders were a hard-working family where Beth’s father, Linus, literally worked the fields walking behind horses with a plow and cared for livestock without mechanical assistance. Her mother baked, gardened, canned and prepared all the food from scratch, on a wood stove that also doubled as one of the home’s heating systems. They did not have electricity or indoor plumbing until Beth’s early teens.

.Early in life Beth experienced, learned and understood how faith, a supportive family, hard work, helping others and education were keys to a well lived life. She used those experiences of her youth as a foundation to build and raise her own family.

Beth attended country school through 8th grade, sometimes taught there by her oldest sisters. She, her brothers, and her sisters were often taken to and from school via horse and sleigh or via a horse drawn buggy. She graduated from Benson High School in 1947 and went on to further her education by attending St. Cloud State Teachers College to attain an Associate in Education degree. She roomed at a strict all women’s boarding house while attending college. While there, Beth was looking out the window one day and saw a red headed guy wearing military khakis in a group of people. That was the start of something spectacular, as she was then introduced to that red headed young man named Leonard (Len) Bauman at St. Cloud State’s Newman Club. They hit it off. One of their favorite activities for dates was dancing. They were quite the dashing dancing duo throughout their lives.

Beth graduated with her teacher license in 1949. Not long afterwards, she landed a teaching job near St Cloud in a one room, multiple grades schoolhouse, while Len finished his degree.

Beth and Len were united as husband and wife on August 7, 1950. Within a year, their first child, Ann, was born. Beth quit teaching around this time. In another year or so, Stephen arrived. And then 9 more children blessed the family over the next 17 years!

Beth and Len lived and worked in Pierre, South Dakota for 3 years, before moving to Nevada Street in St. Paul, Minnesota. They spent 5 years there before they moved in 1960 to Ely, MN. Beth and Len raised their family of 6 boys and 5 girls in Ely, mostly at 414 Chapman Street. And, since 11 kids was “not enough”, in 1977 they welcomed an American Field Service (AFS) student from Ecuador, Leonor Rodriguez, to the family! They had achieved an “even dozen”!

In 1974 Beth no longer had a baby at home and yearned to help young families. So, she started a daycare in her home charging a quarter per hour per child. She ran that successful day care for 20+ years. Many Ely children were blessed with her loving grace during that time. And the daycare parents were also blessed, as they learned a great deal from an outstanding, highly experienced mother!

Beth and Len remained giving members of the Ely community and St. Anthony Catholic Church for 40 years. In 2000, they relocated to Duluth to be closer to some of their children and young grandchildren. St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Lakeside became their spiritual home. In 2015 they chose to move to senior independent living, and the Benedictine Westwood community welcomed them.

Unfortunately, a few years later, Len’s health deteriorated and eventually, in 2020, he required additional assistance, so he moved to the Benedictine Marywood community. That separation was hard for Beth and Len. Beth suffered a stroke in August 2021 and that resulted in the loss of use of her left leg. Beth then joined Len at Marywood - where she wanted to be anyway, closer to him. Len sadly passed away in January 2022 with Beth holding his hand and whispering, “I love you”. Beth and he had been married for 71 blessed years.

Beth was lovingly cared for during the last few years within the Living Waters neighborhood of Marywood. She received many visitors there which she cherished.

Beth’s family is extremely grateful for the care and kindness she received from all the Marywood staff and hospice nurses of Essentia Health. We are especially grateful for the wonderful care provided by Brenda, Celly and Matt at Marywood as well as from her private physical therapist, Joan.

Beth was known by many names over her lifetime: “Elizabeth”, “Betty” (which she did not care for, so her brothers and sisters would often tease her by using that name), “Beth”, “Love”, “Mom”, “Ma” (which she cared for even less than Betty), “Mrs. Bauman” and “Grammie” (the name which she really relished).

Beth’s priorities in life were her faith, her husband, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family, friends and helping others. She and Len were active in the St. Anthony Catholic community and would often host Bible studies in their home. Beth and Len also actively volunteered for Meals on Wheels. They traveled often, through many parts of the USA, Canada, and Europe, with a focus on visiting and assisting their children and grandchildren, extended family and friends. They even celebrated a 25th Wedding Anniversary trip to Hawaii in 1975, partially funded by their children.

Beth was inviting, kind and helpful to neighbors, her children’s friends and to the community as a whole. Beth and Len invited grandchildren to live with them, as those grandkids went to college in Ely or Duluth. Following their move to Duluth, Beth volunteered and served as a docent at Glensheen Manor in Duluth for many years. You would have been lucky to get her as your tour guide.

Beth was gifted. She was a master manager and organizer. She could stretch a dollar farther than anyone. She was an excellent seamstress, quilter, crocheter and ceramic artist. She was also a great cook and baker…though she would never admit that. She and Len attended almost all (at least 99%) of their children’s school, band and sporting events.

Lavender lilacs were a favorite flower and scent of hers. And a favorite Fall activity was her joining Len for driving along color draped, forest lined roads.

Beth was preceded in death by Len, her husband of 71 years, by daughter Ann Hansen, son Paul Bauman, granddaughter Laura Bauman, daughter in-law Pam Bauman, grandson Thomas Davis and Paul’s partner Carol Lambert.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, as well as her 2 brothers: John and James Saunders; and 6 sisters: Eleanore Kvam, Veronica French, Mary Dalman, Bernice Kelso, Agnes O’Malley, and Marjorie Wakeman.

Beth is survived by son Stephen (Peggy) Bauman, son Mark (Jan) Bauman, son Jeffrey (Michele) Bauman, daughter Karen (Lori) Bauman, daughter Jean (Paul) Weinzierl, daughter Laura Davis, daughter Rose (Doug) Bauman-Brown, son David (Heidi) Bauman, son John (Jill) Bauman and daughter Leonor Rodriguez of Ecuador. “Grammie” is also survived by her most beloved and cherished 30 grandchildren and 37 great grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by her brother-in-law, Williard (Ruthie) Baman.

A key aspect of Mom’s persona was her deep belief and commitment to the Catholic Religion. She always felt a sense of longing to know she belonged, would be saved to go to heaven via belief in Jesus Christ, had a desire to know about God and to "always do the right thing."

Beth lived her Catholic Christian faith by being a gentle, inviting, kind and loving blessing to many babies, children, teenagers and adults throughout her life. So in lieu of flowers, memorials in Beth’s name are preferred to your favorite organization that supports and assists children, especially babies.

Visitation will be held on Monday July 28, 2025, from 10AM until the 11AM Mass of Christian Burial in St. Michael’s Catholic Church. 4901 E. Superior St. Duluth, MN 55804. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.  Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home.