Mr. Bauer died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000, at his home.

Services were Saturday, Feb. 27, 2000, at the Methodist Church in Blair.

Ralph Bauer was born Jan. 19, 1922, to Annette and Henry Bauer, in Vernon. He attended seven grades at the M Country School and one year of parochial school at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Falls City, where he was confirmed. He graduated front Verdon High School in 1939.

After graduation, he farmed with his dad, and in 1941, he married Anna L. Cook of Verdon. During their marriage, they adopted two children, Rodger Keith Bauer and Barbara Bauer, from the Lutheran Children’s Home.

In 1955, he joined the Nebraska State Patrol and was stationed in Blair. He was divorced in 1960 and in 1961 he resigned from the State Patrol.

In June of 1962, he married Virginia Sylvis of Blair, who had two children, Ronald Clark Sylvis of Panama City, Fla. and Constance Jean Sylvis of Omaha. During the marriage, they were active members of the Methodist Church and the Blair Golf Club. He was on the Board of Directors for nine years and was president of the board for three years. She preceded him in death on Feb. 18, 1989. On Dec. 21, 1990, he married Kathryn Rhoades of Blair, at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Bill Lane, in Zephyr Cove, Nevada. He is survived by his wife; daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Bill Lane of Zephyr Cove, Nev.; son and daughter-in-law, Rodger and Charlotte Bauer of Blair; step-daughter, Connie Sylvis of Omaha; step-son, Ron Sylvis of Panama City, Fla., stepson, Ed Rhoades and his wife, Gailanne of Blair; step-daughters Janet Jones and her husband. Bob of Omaha and Linda Kruse and her husband, Gene, of Herman; sisters, Ethel Krueger of Falls City, Nev. and Edith Schmidt of Washington, MO.; brother, George Bauer of Verdon; and four grandchildren, Mia Bauer, Lance Sylvis, and Chauncey and Abby Lane.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~