Sharon Bauman

Sharon Bauman, 76, of Punta Gorda, Florida, formerly of Fort Wayne, Indiana, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 3rd, 2017, at home with her family by her side, following a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Sharon was born in Kokomo, Indiana, and graduated from Kokomo High School in 1958, going on to pursue her Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing, which she received from Indiana University in 1962. While attending the nursing school, Sharon met her beloved husband of 55 years, Richard Bauman, in 1959 at the Indiana University Medical Center where he was a student in the medical school. They were married in December of 1961 at the Main Street Methodist Church in Kokomo. When Rich was drafted to serve overseas in the U.S. Army in 1963, Sharon petitioned the Army to allow her to join and be stationed together with Rich in Augsburg, Germany. Sharon served in the Army Nurse Corps for 2 years from 1963 to 1965, achieving the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Upon return from their military service, they spent several years in Indianapolis, where their children were born, before moving to Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1969. With the birth of her children, Sharon left her career in nursing to focus fulltime on raising her family. She was the heart of her family, and she was active and supportive in all aspects of her childrens' and husband's lives, providing a nurturing touch in all that she did. As her children left the home, Sharon returned to school to pursue a degree in accounting, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983 from St. Francis College in Fort Wayne, and receiving her Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting in 1984 from Indiana-Purdue University in Fort Wayne. She passed the Indiana State Board CPA Exam in May, 1985, in her first sitting. She went on to work as a tax accountant and later donated her time doing tax accounting for the elderly for several years. Over the years, Sharon and Rich enjoyed many happy summer days with family and friends at their lake cottage on Coldwater Lake, Michigan, where Sharon enjoyed watersports, fishing, card games around the kitchen table and especially the spectacular sunsets. In retirement, they left Fort Wayne to spend their winters in Florida where they established residence initially in Bradenton and later Punta Gorda, continuing to spend summers on Coldwater Lake until 2012 when they settled full time in Punta Gorda. Sharon was an avid tennis player, playing in neighborhood and club leagues until late in life. She was a dedicated and active member of the church and had a beautiful singing voice, which she used often to gently wake her kids in the morning and in praise of the Lord in her church choirs. She comforted so many with her warmth, generosity, and patience, while supporting and protecting her family and those in need with an intelligence, determination and resolve in the face of any challenge or adversity. She had a ready laugh and loved talking to people, especially after church services every Sunday, and she taught others, by word and example, to be kind and empathetic. Sharon is survived by her husband Rich; her two children, Jim (Diane) Bauman and Renata Bauman (Nick Rosen); her sister Judy Schade; and 4 grandchildren, Alexa and Eleni Bauman and Xanthe and Calista Rosenbaum. Visitation will be held 7:30-8:30pm on Thursday, August 10th, at Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home, 9400 Indian Spring Cemetery Rd, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, and funeral services will be held at 9:30am on Friday, August 11th, at Peace River Baptist Church, 478 Berry St, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, followed by private burial at Sarasota National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601-7633 (www.alz.org) or Tidewell Hospice, 5955 Rand Boulevard, Sarasota, FL34238 (www.tidewellhospice.org