Cover photo for Virginia Bauman's Obituary
1929 Virginia 2020

Virginia Bauman

March 5, 1929 — December 10, 2020

This Beautiful Lady has waited 20 years to be reunited with this handsome man. Now their love story continues in heaven. My grandparents played a very important role in my life and they will always hold a very special place in my heart.  Rest in Peace Grandma – I love you like no other.

-- Granddaughter Shelley Smith (and shared by us all)


V irginia Ann Bauman, 91, entered into eternal rest on December 10, 2020, at the Apostolic Christian Nursing Home in Sabetha, Kansas.

Virginia was born and grew up on a farm just west of Oneida, Kansas.  While still a young girl, she moved from the farm to Sabetha, where she lived with her Aunt Hulda and worked at Duckwall’s and Green’s Drug Store while attending and graduating from Sabetha High School in 1946.

Virginia married Edwin Eldon Bauman, Jr. on May 6, 1947.  The love they shared with each other and their kids and grandkids was strong and everlasting.  Junior was definitely the Love of her Life.  He preceded her in passing on September 27, 2000.

Virginia loved working with numbers and worked as a bookkeeper for Roberts Construction and the Sabetha Clinic. She also worked for 28 years and retired from Wenger Manufacturing, where she cherished her job and all the people and friends with whom she worked.

In addition, she spent any extra time keeping the books for the family trucking business, “Bauman Truck Line” and raising their three children, who loved her dearly. She was a member of the Sabetha First United Methodist Church, Order of the Eastern Star, Ladies VFW Auxiliary, Sabetha Christian Women’s Club, and the Sabetha Hospital Guild.

Virginia and Junior were also farmers and gardeners together.  They were well known for their huge sweet watermelons and cantaloupes and for keeping the crops clean and weed free.  Back in those days you walked the fields and hand cut the weeds out.  Hard work but they did it side by side.

After retirement, Junior and Virginia enjoyed traveling in their Bounder RV and spent many winters in south Texas. Virginia loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren with all of her heart, always present in their lives and supporting them in all they did. They all adored her and have shared special memories of Grandma, like her love of playing Mexican Dominoes so much that she painstakingly hand-painted a set for everyone.

Some other memories recounted by her grandkids include:

Shelley remembers that as a young girl with very straight hair, she wanted curly hair. So, Grandma being Grandma, she wanted to make Shelley happy and bought some pink foam curlers and every time Shelley spent the night at her house, Grandma would roll her hair in those curlers. Shelley loved Grandma’s homemade mac-n-cheese and going to the farm to work in the garden with Grandma. Shelley’s girls loved to visit Grandma, as she always had a smile on her face along with a snack and Dr. Pepper to share with them. Shelley has many more memories of Grandma to share, but most importantly remembers the unconditional love that Grandma had for her and the entire family. Grandma lived for her family and friends, and loved to take care of all of them.

Santana remembers Grandma always had “chip chocolate” (as she called it) ice cream in her freezer and she never missed a chance to travel.  On one of her trips to visit Santana, they attended the Rockettes’ Christmas Extravaganza at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.  The show’s opening required everyone to wear 3-D glasses to be used just for that number…but about half way through the entire show we glance over to see Grandma still wearing her 3-D glasses.  It was So Funny, and she was teased about it for many years.

Colton remembers Grandma always making him his own thermos of coffee with half and half and lots of sugar just like Grandpas which he enjoyed on his way to the farm to cut weeds from the bean fields. He credits them both for teaching him his great work ethic as they worked hard in those bean fields and if he missed a weed and they saw it no matter how far back it was he had to go back and get it. One day towards the end of the day Colton put the bean hook thru his foot and when he told Grandma about it she said oh you can make it, let’s just keep going but she felt really bad when his foot ended up with 6 stitches in it.  Maybe one of Grandma’s frozen candy bars from the freezer would make it all better. Colton also remembers that Grandma also jumped at the chance to travel to his basic training graduation in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and then later made a visit to Fort Lewis, Washington, while he was stationed there.

Stacy remembers that at Grandma’s, even the stocking stuffers were individually wrapped with love, and she had handmade stockings for her grandkids with each name on them so you knew which one was yours. Stacy loved Grandma’s homemade chicken soup and that little giggle and wink of hers to show you she was listening and cared about what you had to say.

Gabby remembers how supportive Grandma was of her creative antics as a kid. Grandma would pack up lunches to go eat with Grandpa on the farm quite often, and one day Gabby found a robin’s egg while playing, so Grandma helped her make a “nest” for it in her lunch box so she could carry it around with her all day.  Gabby is pretty sure the egg was already hatched and had nothing in it, but Grandma still helped make sure it was safe and sound.  Grandma also let Gabby ”trim the grass” with scissors while she worked outside because Gabby wasn’t allowed to ride on the lawn mower until she was old enough to reach the pedals.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, Walter W. Heiniger and Stella M. Lancaster Heiniger; stepmother, Emma Louise Hess Heiniger; infant sister, Wilma Jean Heiniger; sister, Mavis Heiniger Lucas; and her beloved husband of 54 years, Edwin Eldon Bauman Jr.  She is survived by her sister, Evelyn McFall and brother in law Marvin, sister in law Lavonne Hartter and her three children: Michael E. Bauman (Sally) of Rockwall, Texas; Kathy A. Strahm (Mark) of Sabetha, Kansas, and Patrick D. Bauman (Diana) of Sabetha, Kansas.  She also leaves five grandchildren: Shelley (Rick) Smith, Stacy (Michael) Brothers, Santana (Jason) Wolters, Colton (Sarah) Strahm, and Gabrielle Bauman.  Virginia leaves 11 great grandchildren: Laurel, Ainsley and Harper Smith; Breanna Volkman, Ceinna and Maddux Wolters; Caroline and Chase Brothers; Sophia Evans, Charlotte Eckols and Vivian Strahm, all of whom she loved dearly.


Due to the current pandemic a private grave side service will be held at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church or the Apostolic Christian Building Fund, sent in care of Popkess Mortuary, 823 Virginia Street, Sabetha KS 66534.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Virginia Bauman, please visit our flower store.

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