Obituary of Christopher James Bauer

Christopher James Bauer, 53, passed peacefully away July 28, 2013 surrounded by family at his home after 18 months of dauntless battle with cancer. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be 2 PM, Thursday, August 1, 2013 at St. Benedict Catholic Church with Rev. Ken Lulf officiating. Burial of his cremated remains will be at a later date in the Calvary Cemetery in Browns Valley, MN. Visitations will begin at 4 PM, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home and Crematory, Yankton with a 7 PM rosary followed by a video tribute and 7:30 PM Scripture service. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Urnbearers will be Randy Brennick, Daniel Johnson, Larry Lanning, Daniel Regan, David Trentz, and John Scheetz. Chris was born March 10, 1960 in Yankton, SD, the youngest of the five children of James Bauer and Jean Kennedy Bauer. Chris was an Eagle Scout with Troop 180 and an altar server at Sacred Heart Convent through middle and high school. He graduated from Yankton High School in 1978. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1985 from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, SD. Chris began his professional career that spring in the Omaha, NE office of the US Army Corps of Engineers. In 1986, Chris returned to Yankton to join his father's electrical contracting firm, Bauer Electric, which he operated for 17 years. In 2004, Chris became the Electrical Engineer for company-wide maintenance with Menu Foods of Ontario, Canada. In 2010, Chris joined the team at Sanford Underground Research Facility at the old Homestake gold mine in Lead, SD as the Electrical Safety Engineer and was extremely proud to be part of the important role South Dakota and SURF play in advancing science. While a student at SDSM&T, Chris met fellow-student Julianne Peterson. They were married October 22, 1982 in Browns Valley, Minnesota. Chris and Julie had two daughters: Tessanna in 1987 and Emmalynn in 1991. Chris' greatest joy was spending time with his family. Chris was a skilled carpenter and with his family, they uniquely remodeled their home in Yankton. Chris was very involved in Tessa's and Emma's activities, including serving as Yankton Swim Team President and Backstage Production Manager for Dakota Dance Association and the Academy of Dance. Chris received the "Make It Happen" award in recognition of his work for Yankton's dancers. Chris had a life-long dedication to long distance running. He ran cross-country in high school and college. In recent years, until disease prevented him, he returned to racing. In 2011, Chris, as a master's division runner, ranked nationally in the steeplechase and won the inaugural Crazy Horse Half Marathon in Custer, SD. Chris is survived by his wife, Julianne, Yankton; daughters, Tessanna, Sioux Falls, SD and Emmalynn, Minneapolis, MN; his father, James Bauer, Yankton; sisters, Katherine Sanders (Steven), McCook Lake, SD and Paula (John Lewis), Berkeley, CA; brother, Steven Bauer, Pittsburgh, PA; nephews, William and Jamie Sanders and Spencer Bauer; and niece, Hannah Pommerer. He was preceded in death by his mother, Jean Kennedy Bauer and brother, Jeff. The family would be honored by memorials to the Chris Bauer Internship at Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), 630 East Summit Street, Lead, SD 57754 in lieu of flowers.