Richard J. Bauer (50) of St. Elmo

Richard J. Bauer, 50, of St. Elmo died at his home at 6:58 p.m. Friday, March 13, 2020 from a 3-1/2 year battle with cancer.

A celebration of life service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children’s Research Hospital or HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital Home Care and Hospice.

Richard was born on Tuesday, October 14, 1969 in Effingham, IL to John E. and Jo Beth (Jenkins) Bauer. He was a graduate of St. Elmo High School and Lincoln Tech in Nashville, TN. Growing up meant working on the farm and he honed many skills that proved beneficial in working as a diesel mechanic at several local businesses for over thirty years, most recently with MBI Construction, Effingham. He was a reliable hard-worker, but enjoyed having fun. Always good for a story and a laugh of which many were his antics and many life adventures or misadventures. A direct result of some of those antics caused his mom to grey prematurely and develop a case of BSK. He truly enjoyed farm life and country living whether it be raising his donkeys and buffalo and other animals, trips to Colorado to watch donkey racing, driving the dogs in the Kubota, cold beverages, or watching life around the pond as he worked in the shed.

He leaves behind his father, John E. Bauer, St. Elmo, his mother, Jo Beth Bauer, St. Elmo; his significant other of over 26 years, Carmen Hall, St. Elmo; sister, Amy (Bruce Austin) Fritcher, Neoga; brother Tom Bauer and his wife Theresa, Altamont; 2 nephews, Jake Fritcher, Effingham and Nick Bauer, Altamont; 3 nieces, Paula Jo Brown and her husband Greg of Savannah, GA, Jessica (Luke Hoene) Fritcher, Stewardson, and Andrea (Harley Strong) Fritcher, Neoga; 3 great nephews, and 1 great niece, 1 step great niece, cousins, and a host of friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Clyde and Eleanor (Devore) Jenkins and Arthur and Edna (Koeberlein) Bauer and a niece, Jill Megan Bauer.

Gieseking Funeral Home, Altamont is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be expressed by clicking here.