Robert Joseph Bauer

Robert Joseph Bauer, known to just about everyone as Bob, and to the people who loved him best as Bobby, Baba, or Bob-O, passed away on September 30, 2026 at home surrounded by family. He was a man who never met a stranger, never forgot a face, and never passed up the chance to make a room full of people laugh.

Bob was born on June 19, 1941, in Scranton, Pennsylvania to Herbert Leslie Bauer, Sr. and Bertha Satoski Bauer. He was baptized on July 16, 1941, and graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, New York in 1959. While there, he first put his beautiful baritone voice to use singing in the Glee Club. In 1961, he made his way to Hawaii, where his love of a Hawaiian shirt originated. He was able to spend six months there, working in a pineapple factory, before he was drafted under President John F. Kennedy into the Army. He served as a medic from 1963 to 1965, stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. Bob decided to stay in Texas after his service ended and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in\ Marketing from North Texas State University in Denton in 1970. In October, 1972 Bob married Judy Marie Foster and in 1976, Melissa Margaret was born. Although that marriage did not last, the family had been forged.

On February 3, 1983, Bob married Kathy Jean Raney in Dallas. In 1984, Andrea Kathleen was born, with Raney Elizabeth following in 1985. Jacqueline Lorraine rounded out the tribe of girls in 1987. Bob, Kathy and all 4 girls travelled many miles in the motorhome over the years: from Texas, to Missouri, to the northeast for “Fourth-of-Julake” with Bob’s Family. Our family unit wasn’t traditional, but what could have been your standard “step” and “half” became a whole. Being a husband and father was, without question, the role he loved most in this world.

Professionally, Bob had a knack for both people and ideas. He built a successful career selling fabric to fabric stores, then reinvented himself moving into women's fashion and western wear. Never one to sit still, he invented, patented, and marketed Travel Weights, a clever plastic, water-filled dumbbell, in addition he held several copyrights along the way. Wherever he worked, he had a habit of taking younger folks under his wing, mentoring them, including them, and cheering them on until they found their footing.

Everyone who knew Bob knew he was full of talents and quirks. He was a creative soul who painted in both acrylic and watercolor, and he could not resist rearranging the furniture in any room he lived in, or even just happened to be visiting. He loved sailing, took great pride in a well-kept lawn, and could tell a joke better than anyone, often hearing one, perfecting it, and delivering it for maximum laughs. He sang in a barbershop quartet, coached the dive team at Sacred Heart High School, and was known to dress up as a diapered "Stupid Cupid" if it meant entertaining a crowd. That great smile of his was hard to forget.

Catholic by birth and later by choice, Bob was a devoted and active member of the Knights of Columbus for many years. He also belonged to the North Texas Chapter Hudson Essex Terraplane Club, proudly owning a 1952 Hudson Hornet, and was a longtime member of the Dallas Textile Club.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers in law, Robert Mulvey, Sr., and Richard DesJardien; a sister-in-law, Gertrude "Mikki" Bauer; and his ex-wife, Judy Foster.

Bob is survived by his wife, Kathy; daughters Melissa Margaret Bauer Quint (Jason), Andrea Kathleen Bauer Coachman (Austin), Raney Elizabeth Bauer (Aaron), and Jacqueline Lorraine Bauer Dangelmayr (Joseph); grandchildren Anna Quint (18), Blaze Coachman (8), Bauer Coachman (5), with Dorothy Dangelmayr on the way; his siblings Herbert Leslie Bauer, Jr. (brother), Jacqueline Bauer Mulvey (sister), Lorraine Bauer DesJardien (sister); and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

A visitation will take place from 4:00pm – 6:00pm on Sunday, October 4th at George J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home in Gainesville, TX. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Monday, October 5th at 11:30am with a meal following the service at the KC Hall at 1:00pm, all in Muenster, TX. Serving as pallbearers are Jason Quint, Austin Coachman, Joseph Dangelmayr, Aaron Walterscheid, David Bauer, Robert Mulvey, and Michael Mulvey. Honorary Pall Bearers are Sid Castleberry, Jim Garnett, Paul Hornik, Larry Marianni, Bruce Nettleship, Peter DesJardien, and Timothy Bauer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the National Home for Veterans and Families in Texas or the SHS Letterman's Club (make check payable to Sacred Heart Letterman’s Club and send them to 212 East Sixth, Muenster, TX 76252).

To honor Bob’s vibrant spirit, we kindly ask that you wear bright colors rather than traditional black to the funeral.

Bob would tell you not to be too sad; he would rather you remember the joke, the song, the smile, the Hawaiian shirt, and the hair hats.