Royal H. Bauer

Royal H. Bauer, 96, of Goshen, died 8:25 p.m., Sunday, December 29, 2019, at Greencroft Gables.

He was born January 31, 1923, in Peoria, Illinois to Ernest and Catherine (Stieglitz) Bauer.

Royal graduated from Goshen College in 1946 and from the Biblical Seminary in 1948.  On August 7, 1948 he married Evelyn Showalter in Holsopple, Pennsylvania.

Royal and Evelyn were missionaries to India from 1949 to 1952.  After returning home they moved to Goshen in 1954.  Royal taught English and Bible and became the librarian at Bethany Christian High School from 1955-1988.  He volunteered there many years after retiring.

Royal and Evelyn moved to Greencroft in 1991.  He taught Sunday school in Central Manor for 47 years.  He was also a pastoral visitor with College Mennonite Church.

Royal lovingly took care of Evelyn following their return to the States after she contracted polio in India.  Royal enjoyed relationships with family, students and colleagues.  He was a friend to all and remembered the names of everyone he met, even if they were his students 50 years ago.  He never forgot a name or face.

He taught himself to play the organ years ago and he always enjoyed playing hymns for others.  At Greencroft you would often hear him playing the organ before meals or before exercise class.  He occasionally gave “concerts” when living at Walnut Court with his doors opened and neighbors bringing chairs outside to listen.

Royal had a brother, Walter Bauer and two sisters, Margaret Ackerman and Maurine Sawatzky who preceded him in death.  Evelyn died on “resurrection day” in 1997.

Surviving are his son, Stephen (Shirley Saltzman) Bauer of Melbourne, Florida, two granddaughters, Angela (Eric) Zickafoose of Brandon, Florida and Alissa (David) Smith of Tauranga, New Zealand and seven great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Thursday, January 2, 2020, from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service in the Koinonia Room at College Mennonite Church.

Burial will follow in Violett Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be given to Mennonite Mission Board.