Gerald D "Gerry" Bahr
Gerald D. Bahr, age 66 of Menomonie, died April 29, 2009 at the Luther Hospital in Eau Claire due to complications of his cancer treatment. His wife Jane, her sisters Margaret Holzhueter and Kathy Erno, along with Pastor Mary Jorgenson of Our Saviors Lutheran Church were at his bedside.
Gerald was born June 10, 1942 in Burlington, WI to Gordon and Harriet (Sacia) Bahr. He attended elementary schools in Sheboygan Falls and La Crosse. He graduated from La Crosse Central High School in 1960, before enlisting in the USMC in 1964 and serving in Vietnam as a radio-telegraph operator (2533) with the 1rst Am Trac Bn. 3rd Marine Division.
Returning home in 1968, he (with the help of the G.I. Bill) was able to complete undergraduate work and in 1972 earned a M.A.T. degree in English. Subsequent to teaching/coaching for 20 years at Boyceville, Gerry taught English for a year at Naha Koza, Shogakuin, Japan and an additional three years at Condobolin H. S. in New South Wales, Australia. Gerald married Jane-Marie Hopman, also an English teacher, in 1982. They resided in their Tanglewood home in Menomonie, where both enjoyed walking, reading, writing and editing and cooking together.
He was especially fond of gardening in his raised flower beds, landscaping, woodworking and especially linguistics-examining stale, even moldy clichés, mispronunciations and misused words spoken by the media and politicians.
Gerald is preceded in death by his parents, Gordon and Harriet Bahr, his brothers, Fred and Michael, his special aunt, Jenette Borchardt and another aunt Louise Sacia.
Gerald is survived by his beloved wife, Jane, his brother, Dr. Thomas Bahr (Judy) of La Cruces, NM, a sister, Ellen Cady (Ken) of LaCrosse, a sister-in-law, Gale Bahr of Chicago, IL, nieces, nephew, other relatives and friends.