John C. Bauman

CORVALLIS - John Charles Bauman, 59, of Corvallis passed away on Thursday, December 1st, 2010 from cancer. He was at home surrounded by family. John was born on February 2, 1951 in Hamilton, Montana to Otto and Helen Bauman.

He spent most of his childhood on a ranch just outside Tendoy, Idaho. John's childhood included riding horses, playing basketball, doing chores and all the other usual things a boy growing up on a ranch does. His love of sports started early along with an everlasting devotion to the Baltimore Orioles and Indianapolis Colts. John loved all sports but basketball, football, baseball, and track were his most favorite. John went to school in Leadore, Idaho until the middle of his junior year. The family moved to the Bitterroot valley and landed in Victor. The family went to all the valley schools but Victor was the only one that would allow him to play basketball right away without waiting a full semester. In the words of his former coach "I think that the reason the other schools did not encourage him was that he was not very big, only 5' 7"... He practiced that night and I knew someone was going to get moved out the top five." John graduated from Victor in 1969. John then moved on to get a teaching degree from Western Montana College in Dillon. In Dillon he moved on to a new sport that took him back to his early days. He joined the rodeo club and rode bulls.

John married LeChel Grimm in Victor in 1970 to this union two children were born JD and Jacki. John and LeChel were divorced years later.

John began his teaching career in Grass Range and shortly after moved to Circle. He spent 2 years in Circle and then moved the family to Plains. For the next 23 years he stayed in Plains teaching shop and coaching at Plains High School. Coaching track became the love of his life. In 2000 his team won the state championship and he was voted the "Montana Track Coach of the Year".

He retired from teaching after 25 years of service. Shortly after retiring he moved back to the Bitterroot valley. Track was still in his blood however. In 2004 he went back to his old high school helping coach football and head track, in 2006 he became the athletic director and in 2008 John continue being the head track coach. John had a huge influence on kids because of his love of coaching and encouraged them to excel in whatever sport they participated in.

John was a talented woodworker. The majority of his projects were furniture, tables and chairs, but also included clocks, mirrors, and lamps. In the most recent years he was working with wood from old barns. Another of John's "hobbies" was playing softball. Most weekends in the summer the family would load up and head off to a tournament somewhere. He only stopped playing when his shoulder and knees would not let him anymore.

He is survived by: His children son JD Bauman (Katie) of Missoula, Montana, daughter Jacki Bauman of Fort Morgan, Colorado, his mother Helen Bauman of Corvallis, two brothers Steve Bauman (Luanne) of Corvallis and Donald Davidson Hays, Kansas, three sisters Connie Bauman Gartner (Terry) Filer, Idaho, Sue Bauman Vukasin (Steve) Great Falls, and Barbara Bauman Hitchcock (Ron) of Columbus, Ohio, several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Otto Bauman.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made directly to the Athletic Departments of either Victor High School at 425 4th Avenue Victor, Montana 59875 or Plains High School 412 Rittenour Street, Plains, Montana 59859.