BAUER: Alice Geraldine
November 12, 1916 - March 11, 2014
The death of Mrs. Alice G. (nee Hopfner) Bauer of St. Mary's Villa, Humboldt, SK, occurred at her residence on Tuesday, March 11, 2014. She was 97 years of age. Alice was born in Lake Lenore on November 12, 1916, to Chris and Rose Mae (nee Butala) Hopfner. She was raised on the family farm on the NE-06-40-21 W2 which is just west and north of Lake Lenore. She went to school in Lake Lenore completing grade 10 and then took grades 11 and 12 by correspondence. She worked hard on the farm helping with the household chores as well as farm duties such as looking after the chickens and tending to the garden. Harvest time was exceptionally busy as threshing crews and family, which included three brothers, had to be fed. On August 8, 1940, Alice married Raymond Bauer in St. Anthony's Church in Lake Lenore. The wedding dance was held at Stoney Lake Pavillion, a renowned dance hall built by Ray's father, Mike. Music was an integral part of family life as her Dad often played at dances in the area and led the choir in church. She and Ray settled in Moseley living at first with Ray's parents and Alice helped raise the younger Bauer children, Genevieve and Michael. She and Ray moved to Lake Lenore in 1945 when Ray followed in his dad's footsteps and began a long career as a grain buyer. First son Emmett was born December 28, 1943, then came Neal on December 29, 1948, and their third son Beryl was born November 22, 1949, just four months after the untimely death of her mother. Life was a struggle at times, but there was always time for Hopfner family sing songs to lighten things up. When the boys were in school, Alice began working in Roman's Grocery Store. She later worked as a telephone operator for the Lake Lenore Rural Telephone Company. The office was next door in the home of Ken and Doreen Mamer. A little money was also hard earned by janitor work at the local Bank of Montreal and cleaning hundreds of ducks and geese every fall for American hunters. She was an active member of the CWL and was one of the Charter members of the Lake Lenore CWL. She enjoyed playing cards, particularly Bridge, and spent a great deal of time in curling rinks in the area with cousin Gladys Yarskie and other local teammates. She and Ray enjoyed travelling to British Columbia and the western United States where Ray's brothers and sisters had relocated. Her fondest memories were of Hopfner and Bauer family reunions which took place every five years or so. In 1977, Ray and Alice moved into a house in Humboldt which Ray helped build. Just two years later, Ray suffered a severe heart attack at work. He passed away on May 11, 1982. Alice lived alone in their rather large house until 1988 when she bought a condo in Prairie Ridge Estates across from St. Augustine's Church. In 2007, as Alzheimer's started to take its toll, Alice moved to Bethany Pioneer Village in Middle Lake but after a fall in the hospital that same year she relocated to St. Mary's Villa in Humboldt where she resided until her passing March 11, 2014. Alice will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by her three sons, nine grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren: EMMETT (Donna) Bauer of Calgary, AB, and family: Rhea (Noel) Bernard and their children Macala, Dana, and Emmett of Lloydminster, AB; Tania (Roland) Doepker and their children Kassidy and Haylee of Whitecourt, AB; Layne Bauer of Calgary, AB; NEAL Bauer of Lake Lenore, SK, and family Katheryn and son Mathais of Port Coquitlam, BC, Roger Bauer (Desiree Lepage) and their children Davin and Ryder, and Chelsea (Joel) Heatley and their children Owen and Landon of Burnaby, BC, BERYL (Phyllis) Bauer of Lake Lenore, SK, and family, Paula (Hal) Hoffman and their children Zachariah and Isaiah of Edmonton, AB, Andrea Bauer (Chad Roberge) of Edmonton, AB, and Christopher (Candice) Bauer and their children Logan and Luke of Lake Lenore, SK; and one sister-in-law, Martha Hopfner of Ste. Rose, MB; and many Hopfner and Bauer relatives. Alice was predeceased by her husband, Raymond Bauer; parents, Chris and Rose Mae (nee Butala) Hopfner; three brothers: Alfred, Gerald and Emmett; two sisters-in-law: Thera Hopfner and Catherine Hopfner; one nephew, Gordon Hopfner; and one niece, Sharon Hopfner. The Prayer Service for Alice was held at Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel, Humboldt, on Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. presided by Beryl Bauer. Others taking part were: Alice Buttinger, music ministry; Naomi Prodahl, organist; David Martinuk, saxophonist; Hall Hoffman and Candice Bauer, scripture readers; and Tanya Doepker and Christopher Bauer, eulogists. The Funeral Mass was offered at St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church, Lake Lenore on Monday, March 24, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. celebrated by Fr. Richard Meidl, OSB. Others taking part were: Neal Bauer, crossbearer; Grace and Jesse Hoffman, altar servers; Layne Bauer and Paula Hoffman, scripture readers; Haylee Doepker, Dana and Macala Bernard, intentions; Rhea, Noel and Emmett Bernard, giftbearers; Andrea Bauer and Chelsea Heatley, memorial table attendants; St. Anthony's Choir, music ministry; Naomi Prodahl, organist; and Ben Flamman, guitarist. Honorary pallbearers were "all Alice's grandchildren and great-grandchildren". The urnbearer was Emmett Bauer. Interment followed at St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Cemetery, Lake Lenore. Memorial donations may be directed to St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Cemetery Fund, St. Mary's Villa Foundation, or Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan. Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel, Humboldt, SK.
