William L. Bauer

William "Bill" Bauer of McCook passed away May 18, 2022 at Hillcrest Nursing Home due to complications of Parkinsons Disease. Bill was 88. He was born February 23, 1934 in Culbertson and graduated from Culbertson Public High School in May of 1952. Immediately after graduating, Bill enlisted in the United States Air Force, with a career in Air Force Military Police that lasted until his retirement from the Air Force in 1971. In November 1957 while stationed in Lincoln, Bill married Mary Ann Pilch of Chicago, Illinois. From this union were born two children, son, Robert and daughter, Mary. Bills military tours of duty included Korea, Morocco, Greenland, the Philippines, West Germany and Vietnam. While in the Air Force, Bill served during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and earned a Bronze Star for heroism during the Tet Offensive at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. Though retired, Bill and the Air Force were inseparable and his time serving and defending his country were the central elements of Bills character, adding to the strong relationship he developed with southwest Nebraska while working the family farm as a youth. Following his Air Force retirement, Bill moved back to his boyhood home of Culbertson where he helped his father on the family farm and began a second career working in the mixing department of Electric Hose & Rubber plant in McCook. Soon Bill advanced to foreman, scheduler and eventually plant manager until retiring from the plant in 1998. Bill was an avid hunter from boyhood and shot competitively in Nebraska as an adult. As a member of the McCook Gun Club, Bill happily trained youth and adults in gun safety and served as the clubs treasurer. During his hose plant career, Bill leaned into his southwest Nebraska roots, serving on the McCook Hospital and YMCA boards and other civic organizations. He maintained until his death, the family farm, begun by his German-Russian great-grandfather Adam Bauer northwest of Culbertson in the 1880s. Bill is survived by son, Robert Bauer and wife, Anne, of Guangzhou, China and daughter, Mary Mahowald and husband, Kenneth, of Fresno, California, five grandchildren, and his sister, Shirley Adams of Norfolk, Nebraska. Preceding Bill in death were wife, Mary Ann; parents, Walter and Mae Bauer and brothers Walter "Fritz" and Robert Bauer. A celebration of Bills life will be held at Hermann-Jones Funeral Chapel, McCook, on Friday, July 1st at 10:30 am. A private military graveside service will follow services. Friends may leave online condolences at herrmannfh.com. Memorials may be left in Bill's name to either the Ed Thomas YMCA or the Senior Center for the Meals on Wheels program. Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel is entrusted with arrangements. Memorial Service Friday, July 1, 2022 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel 607 Norris Avenue McCook, Nebraska 69001