Alma Bauer

Alma M. Bauer, age 95 years, 2 months and 8 days, of Albany, died peacefully on Wednesday, December 25, 2013 surrounded by loved ones at the Mother of Mercy Nursing Home in Albany, Minnesota.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Alma will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, January 4, 2014 at the Seven Dolors gathering area in Albany. A private family inurnment will be at a later date in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Seven Dolors gathering area in Albany.

Alma Margaret Rakotz was born October 17, 1918 in Krain Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to Anton and Margaret (Froelich) Rakotz. Alma left home at the age of 14 to work as a nanny and housekeeper for a local doctor to help her parents with finances. She married Robert "Dick" Bauer on June 14, 1938 and pretty much single handedly raised their seven children (included in the seven were two sets of twins). She loved canning and gardening which was a necessity in feeding their children. Alma was a wonderful cook! Her special dumplings, homemade sausage, breads and pastries were excellent. Over the years, she taught her children and grandchildren these special techniques.

Alma was a member of Seven Dolors Catholic Church. She worked at Jennie-O Foods in Melrose for 35 years. She worked amazingly hard all her life and will be missed very much by her loving family.

Survivors include her children Robert (Sylvia) Bauer of Las Vegas, NV, Harold Bauer of Stacy, Margaret Benedict of Savage, Kathleen (Larry) Groetsch of St. Joseph, Michael (Ruth) Bauer of Forest Lake and Mary Lou (Steven) Watry of Albany; 23 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Alma was preceded in death by her husband, Robert "Dick" Bauer on August 8, 1998, son and daughter-in-law, Gerald (Shirley) Bauer; daughter-in-law, Geraldine Bauer; son-in-law, Allen Schunk; parents; sisters, Loretta Bueckers, Marcella Gross, Ann Kapsner, Esther Habiger and Elizabeth "Betty" Gross; brothers, Louie, Pete, Joseph and Alois Rakotz.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.