Barbara Bauch, 91

Barbara Bauch, 91, of Traer, passed away Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at Sunrise Hill Care Center in Traer under the care of Cedar Valley Hospice.

Barbara was born April 21, 1932 in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Harry and Grace (Butcher) Sievers. Harry was a teacher and coach at East High School and a member of the Army Reserve. Prior to WWII he was activated and the family moved numerous times during his military service. During the war, Harry was an assistant chief of staff assigned to the 79th Infantry Division. The family returned to Waterloo until the war ended, and then moved to occupied Germany in the first group of military dependents. Barbara attended school in the American Zone and she and her classmates attended the Nuremberg Trials.

Barbara graduated from Washington and Lee High School in Arlington, VA. She attended the College of William and Mary in Virginia for two years, then transferred to the University of Iowa. She joined the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and played bagpipes with the all-female Scottish Highlanders.

She graduated from Iowa in June 1954 and married John S. Bauch, Jr. on September 4, 1954. They made their home in Tama and then Traer.

Barbara and Jack became active members of the community. Barbara worked to start residential mail delivery in Traer and on a swimming pool project. She was a member of the Iowana Women’s Club and the American Legion Auxiliary. She opened and operated Jeb’s Country Store in downtown Traer from 1970 until 1990.

Barbara loved to travel and spend time at the family’s cottage at Lake Okoboji.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, and her husband, Jack.

She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth of Traer, and her son, J. Stuart Bauch III (Debbie) of El Dorado Hills, CA.

The family thanks the staff at Sunrise Hill Care Center and Cedar Valley Hospice for their kind care for Barbara.

Interment will be at Buckingham Cemetery; a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 20, 2023 at Ripley United Church of Christ, 400 South Main St. (Hwy 63) in Traer. There will be a memorial visitation the same day from 1:30 p.m. prior to the service at the church. Memorial gifts may be made to the Traer Community Foundation or the Traer Public Library Foundation.

Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home, Tama-Toledo, is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.kruse-phillips.com.