Ruth E. Bauer

Ruth Bauer, 97, of Marietta, died on Friday, July 19, 2024 at Waterview Pointe in Marietta. She was born on September 21, 1926, in Newport, Ohio, to the late Ernest Dana Valentine and Helen Stump Valentine, where she enjoyed a happy childhood being raised with her two sisters, Theresa Valentine Binegar and Bernadine (Bunny) Valentine Fox and brothers Robert and David Valentine. One of her fond childhood memories was accompanying her father, a First Mate, on the river barge, Sohio State, on trips to Paducah, KY.  In her late teens, the family moved to Marietta, where Ruth worked in the retail clothing business before marrying and starting her family. On October 30, 1950, she married Theodore C Bauer and spent 73 years together. Always an entrepreneur at heart, Ruth and Ted lived on Front Street across from the Park and near the Washington Street bridge. When the bridge was under construction, Ruth opened a noon luncheonette by the bridge called “The Wooden Shoe” and served the workers hotdogs, hamburgers, and “the best milkshake in town.” When the bridge was complete, Ruth closed the shop, and she and Ted raised four children: Cynthia (Ted) Winning, of Parker, Colorado; Rebecca (Jerry) Mills, of Lakewood Ranch, Florida; Debora Miller, formerly of Kent, Ohio; Mark (Julie) Bauer, of Marietta.

Ruth returned to the Marietta retail scene when her children were in high school. She spent many enjoyable years as a sales associate at Teri Anns, working for the Zide family, a family she cherished. In later years, she opened a consignment shop called Act II in Marietta. Upon retirement, Ruth joined her husband, Ted, assisting him at The Marietta Golf Range at the Fairgrounds—a job they both enjoyed in retirement. The summer business closed during COVID after 60 years.

Ruth enjoyed joining Ted and their family on many vacations in their leisure time. Each year, late August vacations were spent at their favorite spot, Siesta Key Beach. In later years, they vacationed at Captiva Island and Jensen Beach, Florida, Colorado, Tucson, Arizona, and Maui, Hawaii. Cruises were also a favorite vacation for Ruth as she got older. She enjoyed trips to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, and Mexico. On one extraordinary cruise, She and Ted flew to Barcelona, Spain, and had cruise stops in Gibraltar, Spain, and France, ending in London, where, surprisingly, it was the day of Princess Diana’s funeral. Their bus to the Hotel was stopped at an intersection to allow the procession to go by—something she found quite memorable.

Ruth has eight grandchildren she doted on: Andrew (Sarah) Mills of Leland, MI; Michael (Jennifer) Mills of Hartland, WI; Elizabeth (Jay) Hoffman, Jessica Miller of Kent, Ohio; Brad (Megan) Bauer of Marietta; Jared (Mandy Marlow) Bauer of Cincinnati; Josh Bauer of Marietta; Brandon (Chelsea) Bauer of Marietta. There are 13 “GREAT” grandchildren, as she liked to call them, with their pictures completely covering her refrigerator: Teddy, Katy and Andrew Bauer of Marietta;  Evelyn Bauer of Marietta;  Adrian and Bryson Bauer of Marietta;  Grace and Charlotte Mills of Leland, MI; Ashlyn, Calleigh and Brayden Mills of Hartland, WI; Lucas and Trevor Hoffman, and numerous cherished nieces and nephews, as well as sisters-in-law Penny Valentine and Vi Valentine and special nieces Sharon Pottmeyer and Carole Weatherman.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Debora Miller, her parents, two sisters, Theresa and Bunny, and two brothers, Robert and David Valentine.

Ruth was a member of the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Assumption and the Catholic Women’s Club, supporting her children’s activities at St. Mary School as they grew up.  Funeral services will be on Thursday, July 25 at The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Marietta at 10:00 a.m. with The Rev Msgr. John Michael Campbell officiating. Burial will be in the New St. Mary Cemetery. Friends may call on Wednesday, July 24 from 5 to 7 at the Marietta Chapel of Cawley & Peoples Funeral Homes. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice. The family would like to thank her CNA, Madison English, for the wonderful, devoted, and loving care she provided to Ruth over the past year.
Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home is honored to serve Ruth’s family and offers online condolences and many other resources on their website, www.CawleyandPeoples.com or by following their Facebook page.