Mary Ann "Beet" Bauer

Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and great-aunt passed away on July 27, 2022. Age of 85 years.

Mary Ann was born on December 12, 1936, in Saginaw, Michigan, to the late Carl and Martha (Junemann) Simmet. She graduated from Sacred Heart High School, class of 1954. Mary Ann married Nathan Bauer on April 15, 1961. Together they shared 37 years of marriage until Nathan's passing on October 16, 1998. Throughout her life Mary Ann worked various jobs. She was a bookkeeper for Bridgeport Country Club and Swan Valley Golf Course. She also worked as a bank teller at Michigan National and as a secretary for Thiel Electric. Mary Ann was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and the Red Hat Society. She enjoyed playing cards, bingo, doing puzzles, picking brackets for March Madness and weekend picks for the NFL. Her favorite pastime of all was going to the casino. Mary Ann enjoyed taking trips with her siblings to Las Vegas. She also had an interest in genealogy, especially researching the Simmet and Bauer family trees. Mary Ann loved to decorate her house for every holiday, especially Christmas. Above all she cherished her family and friends. All of her children's friends considered her to be their second mom. Mary Ann would keep any photos, newspaper articles and clippings relating to her family and friends. Her house was like a museum. She had collections of plates, saucers, tea sets, spoons, salt and pepper shakers, and, her pride and joy, 'The Village.'

Mary is survived by two children: Leann (Scott Ostrom) Bauer of Freeland, MI, and Brett (Christine) Bauer of Aurora, IL; five grandchildren: Kelly (Brad) Potts of Kenosha, WI, Taylor (Jasmin) Bauer of Glendale Heights, IL, James (Monique) Hunter of Pearl Harbor, HI, Emily (Alec) Rigik of Lisle, IL, and Samuel Bauer, her youngest grandson with whom she had a very treasured relationship; four great-grandchildren: Vivianne, Graham, Hazel and Addie, who affectionately referred to her as Grandma Great. She is also survived by siblings: Dorothy (Jerry) Busch of Saginaw, MI, Steve (Elaine) Simmet of Saginaw, MI, and Alice (Brian) Clements of Olympia, WA; a special niece Jennifer (Simmet) Ray, who assisted with Mary Ann's care for the last two years, a great niece Katelyn Nelson, who lived with Mary Ann while completing her final year at Saginaw Valley State University, a treasured friend Lillian Ostrom, as well as several nieces, nephews and extended family.

Along with her husband and parents, Mary was preceded in death by a brother, John Simmet, and a brother-in-law, Danny Jackson.

The family would like to extend a thank you to the Rachel Sovereign Memorial Home in Bay City, Hoyt Nursing and Rehab Center, and Valley Hospice Care of Saginaw for their compassionate care of Mary Ann during her last year of life.

A Funeral Liturgy will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, August 1, 2022, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 1035 North River Road, Saginaw. Rev. Fr. Peter J. Gaspeny will officiate with burial to follow in Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Friends may visit with the family from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at W. L. Case & Company, 201 North Miller Road, Saginaw, as well as from 10:00 am until the time of service Monday at the church. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider the Alzheimer's Foundation or Valley Hospice Care of Saginaw.