Joey S. “Joe” Bauman, 90, of Bern, Kansas, died Friday, April 19, 2013 at the Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha.

Joey Simon Bauman was born on May 12, 1922, the youngest child of John Henry and Leah Zehr Bauman. He attended Morning Star School, and graduated from Oneida High School in 1940. After graduation, he farmed, harvested and traveled.

On April 23, 1948, he married Mildred “Milly” R. Longberg at the Methodist Church parsonage in Oneida. The couple farmed and raised cattle on the Bauman family farm south of Bern for 60 years. In addition, Joe started a bull rental business in the late 1960s, eventually accumulating a herd of moer than 100 bulls, which he rented to cattlemen thoughout northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska. For many years he took his Baldwin Gleaner combine and did custom harvesting from Oklahoma to the Dakotas, making friends along the way.

One of his greatest joys was being an auctioneer. He attended Reisch Auction School in Mason City, Iowa. The entire family was involved in the weekly sales, with his wife as clerk and his children helping with the various tasks needed for a successful auction. His last sale was in 2008.

Joe put many miles on his truck and trailer and made frequent stops to “coffee up” and/or play cards. He even made a business of selling the crop he grew best – rocks; he was proud to point out Bauman rocks during his drives.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Bern.

Joe will be remembered for his ready smile, the twinkle in his eye, his sense of humor, his ever-present cowboy hat and the ability to talk to anyone. He was a collector not of things, except for those things he bid on once too often; but rather, he was a collector of stories and people. He never met a stranger and always tried to do his “good deed for the day.”

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Milly; five children, Betty (Tom) Kennedy of Richmond, Virginia, Beverly (Larry) Wittmer of Colony, Kansas, Ben (Marj) Bauman of Holton, Brenda (Paul) Bauman Swank of Topeka and Boyd (Lisa) Bauman of Roeland Park, Kansas; two siblings, Alvin Bauman of Sabetha and Ella Dominick of Morton, Illinois; 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings, Edwin Bauman, W.R. “Bill” Bauman, Sam Bauman, Mary Grose, John Bauman, Noah Bauman, Emma Waterman, Priscilla Williams and George Bauman.

A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 PM Tuesday, April 23, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. The funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday, April 24, at the United Methodist Church in Bern. Burial will be in Bern Cemetery.

Memorials may be given in Joey’s memory for the United Methodist Church of Bern or the Bern Community Fund, and sent in care of the family.