Cecil Henry Baer
Marriages
Verna Hight
Lola Bessie Hight Smith - June 28, 1975
in Sheridan, Wyoming
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise - April 23, 1992
Cecil Henry BAER died of natural causes March 20 at Mesa Manor Nursing Home in Grand Junction. He was 82.
Mr. BAER, a former coal miner, was born Dec. 9, 1909 to Edward Henry and Rena Pearl Yost BAER in Eagle. He spent his childhood in Eagle and Garfield counties and attended school in Sweetwater. He married Lola Bessie Smith HIGHT June 28, 1975 in Sheridan, Wyo. He was previously married to Verna HIGHT. She is deceased.
Mr. BAER was a member of the Methodist Church and also belonged to the Masonic Lodge in Steamboat Springs. He was a member of the Oddfellows and the Eastern Star in Steamboat Springs. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, bowling, baseball, football and boxing.
Survivors include: His wife, Lola Bessie Smith Hight BAER; a son, Vern E. BAER of Craig; two daughters, Carolyn Jean KINNY of Colorado Springs, and Carol Lee CULLEN of Craig; two sisters, Iola KNUTH of Paonia, and Marion VETTER of Carbondale; six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Two brothers, Earl BAER and Mintferd BAER, are deceased.
A graveside service for Mr. BAER was held at Gypsum Cemetery. The Gypsum United Methodist Women served cake and coffee to family and friends following services. Memorial contributions may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Colorado, 743 Horizon Court, Suite 104, Grand Junction, CO 81506.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 11 - April 23, 1992
Cecil BAER: In remembrance, by Iola KNUTH. Ed. Note: Mrs. Knuth, who lives in Paonia, offers the following remembrance of her brother, Cecil BAER:
Cecil was born in Eagle on Howard Street just across the street from the home of his grandparents, the Henry BAERs.
Much of Cecil's early life was spent in and around Eagle. His father worked as a hand on the W. P. MAYER, WOODS and WHITE ranches. The family later moved to Dotsero, where they spent their winters and summers in the Willow Springs and Coffee Pot area, where Cecil's dad rode range for various cattle companies.
His first year of school was spent at Canon Creek in Garfield County. Cecil and his sister, Iola, used to ride three miles to school on his favorite horse, "Old Jesse." At the time he would guide the horse with Iola hanging on tight and riding behind the saddle.
Later, the family moved back to Dotsero, where a brother, Earl, was born in 1915. Cecil and Iola attended the Dotsero School. In 1921, the family moved to Sweetwater to a ranch owned by Carl STEWART, which was purchased by the BAERs. A brother, Mintferd, was born there. Cecil was always so protective of his sister and brothers, though he was the small one in the family. Nevertheless, he was always the "big brother." He was only five-fee-two or three inches tall, yet he did a big man's work at all times.
We would still ride three miles to the Sweetwater School until the weather would finally turn bad; then the family would move down to Sweetwater Creek, or a dear friend, Mrs. GANNON, the mother of John GANNON, would board us and take us in.
In 1928 we had a little sister join the family. Cecil thought little Marion was the cutest, and she became known as "Babe." She and Cecil grew up to be the same size. As the Rev. Don SPERBER said during Cecil's services on March 23: "Large things come in small packages." They both proved that.
Cecil was very ambitious. When growing up he drove a stacker team for his father as well as neighbors, trapped wildcats, martin, mink, weasel and coyotes to make a little money. As he grew older he worked shearing sheep with the Marcus HIGHTs in Wyoming and South Dakota.
In 1933, he and Verna HIGHT, who taught school in Sweetwater, were married. Cecil worked at the HIGHT and PHILLIPS sawmill on Red Dirt, later moving to Burns, where they ran the store and Post Office. After selling out to Raymond BEARDEN, they were employed by the Benton Land and Livestock Company to work one of the ranches.
Five years later, their first daughter, Carol Lee, was born. During the next five years they left the ranch and moved to McCoy, where a second daughter, Carolyn Jean, was born.
Cecil was later employed at the Edna Mine at Oak Creek, then later moved to Steamboat Springs where they bought a home. Five years after the birth of their daughter, a son arrived, Vern, who grew up and graduated from high school there.
Verna's brother, Curtis, of Buffalo, Wyo., died in 1974.
One day in January 1975, after Cecil had left to get a load of coal, Verna was removing snow from the windshield of the family car so she could mail a birthday package to her daughter. She was suddenly stricken with a cerebral hemorrhage, and though she was able to get into her house to call a doctor, she fell into an 11-day coma from which she never awoke.
It was a bad time for Cecil and his family. His sister-in-law, Curtis' wife, Lola, came and stayed with them and helped with the sadness of losing his wife of 42 years.
Cecil later sold his Steamboat home and moved to Buffalo, Wyo., where he married Lola. They remained happily married and both enjoyed taking their camper into Big Horn country to camp and fish. They both enjoyed gardening, and also traveled to Alaska, Seattle and other states.
Cecil was a man with many hobbies: sports such as bowling, as well as fishing, hunting, tieing flies, searching for arrowheads, refinishing furniture, and bird watching. He once had a pet squirrel which he enjoyed feeding during his days in Buffalo.
I like to remember my brother as one who had a smile and enjoyed life and people.
Cecil's daughter, Carolyn Jean, hosted a birthday party for him on his 80th birthday two years ago which was attended by more than 80 people, many of them friends he had not seen for years. Soon after, he suffered a stroke, and he was confined to a wheelchair until before Christmas of 1991 when he finally was able to walk and help himself...an accomplishment he was proud of. Then a flu virus hit him and put back where he was not able to walk or care for himself. Cecil passed away peacefully in his sleep.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 9A - March 21, 1992
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 2B - March 22, 1992
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7A - March 23, 1992
Steamboat Pilot - April 2, 1992
