Henrietta Augusta Baumer

Henrietta Augusta (Gehrke) Baumer, 91, of Waupaca, WI, formerly of Manawa, passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning, July 14th, 2026 surrounded by loving family at ThedaCare Medical Center in Berlin, WI following a brief illness.

Henrietta was born in sub-zero temperatures in the family Town of Little Wolf farmhouse on January 15, 1935, the youngest of five children of Leonhard and Annabelle (nee Jahnke) Gehrke. As a youngster, she attended Spring Brook School, St. Paul Lutheran Grade School and was a valedictorian at Little Wolf High School. She was granted a Perfect Attendance Award, representing never missing a day of school from the first day of grade school to High School graduation. She began working at the Farmers State Bank of Manawa on the Monday after graduation, and worked her way up to the role of Cashier of the Bank, and led the loan committee until her retirement at age 62. She took pride in providing premier service to their Manawa customers, as well as being a mentor and trainer for many of the employees who joined the bank through her over forty years of employment.

While Henrietta worked at the bank, she met Conrad Baumer, an auto mechanic who had moved to Manawa for work. They married on August 27, 1955. After residing in the City of Manawa for several years, they moved to a home in the Town of Little Wolf. As Conrad developed his own regional wheel alignment and powersports dealerships, Henrietta was his business partner, managing the financial aspects of revenue and vehicle and parts inventory. As a result of their business success, Henrietta and Conrad enjoyed all-expense paid trips including Monte Carlo, Hawaii, and the Bahamas, and pursued their love of travel to Alaska, the Black Hills and California.

Family was integral to Henrietta. She and Conrad were blessed with four daughters, three of whom survive, Jodell Rowland, Eden Prairie, MN, Connie (Randy) Klotzbuecher, Manawa, and Jeanne (Bernie) Bauer, Fremont, WI. Also surviving are grandsons Tony (Kristi) Klotzbuecher, Manawa, Joseph (Kelly) Rowland, and Michael Rowland, Minneapolis, MN, Daniel (Abby) Bauer, Lake Mills, WI and David Bauer and Sarah Long, North Hollywood, CA. Granddaughters surviving are Rachael (Branden Gulledge) Kime, Los Angeles, CA., Caitlin (Tory) Rowland, Chicago, IL. and Jamie (Joe) Heise, Hortonville, WI, and Great Grandchildren Claire and Taylor Klotzbuecher, Briannah Friedrich, Delaney & Colton Bauer, Connor, Bailey & Bryce Heise, Temple Kime Gulledge and upcoming baby girl Rowland due in October. She is also survived by special niece and nephew Jon Gehrke and Sharon Baumer, Stevens Point, along with several cousins and nieces and nephews.

Henrietta was an early example of a successful working mother who also volunteered at St Paul Lutheran, and lent support to local community organizations. Music was an important thread through Henrietta's life. She achieved first chair trumpet in high school, was a soprano voice at the St. Paul's Church Choir and the Waupaca Community Chorus. She instilled her love of music to her daughters and ultimately their children, bringing them to movies like The Sound of Music, along with musicals like Fiddler on the Roof and The Music Man, and enjoyed their various band concerts, folk and bluegrass festival performances and church vocals and liturgy leadership.

Following retirement, Henrietta was active in her church and community groups, along with tending her flower gardens, bird feeders and especially baking and cooking for Conrad and her extended family. We were all lucky to enjoy incredible recipes passed down from her mother, along with special treats and desserts she took pride in crafting for holidays and special get-togethers. Henrietta's health provided some twists and turns as early as the 1960s when she was one of the first cancer patients to be treated with, and recover from chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic. She was able to overcome other health challenges through the years including beating COVID with the same fighter spirit. As Conrad fell ill, she became his caretaker until he needed memory care at King, and moved to The Pines at Bethany Home in Waupaca, WI to be close. Henrietta was a faithful daily visitor to Conrad and they celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary together shortly before his death August 29, 2019.

Henrietta remained a resident at The Pines, and created and cooked special desserts, served on the residents' council and continued her role as a loving mother, grandmother, aunt and great-grandmother. As Henrietta's health began to limit her physical activities, she remained sharp, well-read and an active gardener and skilled puzzler. She celebrated yet another sub-zero weather birthday with a joyous 90th celebration January 2025, surrounded by a multitude of loved ones and friends. Respiratory and heart challenges led to medical care and ultimately Henrietta's recent diagnosis of pneumonia and heart failure proved to be difficult for even Henrietta to overcome. She peacefully went to be with her Lord and late loved ones on the morning of July 14th. Henrietta had been especially grateful to share a warm visit with all three of her daughters on Friday, July 10th, and took pride in experiencing the flowers and wind chimes she had chosen to beautify the courtyard, along with sharing stories with her dear friend Bill Sexton. In retrospect we realize she was giving us one last beautiful memory together to share in the sun and beauty of the Lord's outdoors.

Henrietta was preceded in death by a daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Robert Kime, her mother and father, brothers Leonhard Jr. and Herbert Gehrke, along with sisters Anita Buck and Delores Graichen. Also, her father & mother in-law, and a number of brothers in-law and sisters-in-law.

A Christian Celebration of Henrietta's life will take place Saturday, July 25, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Manawa, WI with the Rev. Nathan Reichle officiating. Visitation prior to the funeral service starts at 9 am at the church. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund will be established.

We are grateful to the caring staff at Bethany Home through the years, as well as nurses and doctors at ThedaCare Medical Center, Waupaca and ThedaCare Medical Center, Berlin, WI for their ongoing treatment and support. If you would like to remember Henrietta, listen for a beautiful melody, look for a colorful bird, bring a sweet treat to a valued friend or family member, visit your local library for your own library card, or check out a special story to read.

Hers was a life well-lived and we are all better for it.