Frederick Herman Baumer Jr.

Frederick Herman Baumer, Jr. passed away peacefully Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the age of 87.

Fred was born November 6, 1935, in Orlando, Florida, to Frederick Herman and Margaret Susan Baumer.  He graduated from the high school in Jacksonville, Florida now known as Riverside High School, and earned a Bachelor of Arts, in philosophy, from the University of Notre Dame in 1958, and later an accounting degree from the University of Florida. 

He married Barbara Marshall on November 21, 1966, in Lakeland, Florida.  Barb and Fred moved to South Bend, Indiana in 1967, and that became their home for the next 56 years.

Fred was a seminarian in the Old College program at the University of Notre Dame as an undergraduate student, and following his graduation, he continued his formation studies with the Congregation of Holy Cross, first at their novitiate in Jordan, Minnesota and then with additional studies in South Bend and Washington, D.C. Fred eventually decided to leave the seminary program, and enlisted in the US Army, before then obtaining his accounting degree from the University of Florida.  Fred was married to Barb and was working in public accounting for Peat Marwick (now known as KPMG) in Jacksonville, Florida in 1967, when he received a recruiting call from Fr. Jerome Wilson, C.S.C. to return to his alma mater to serve in the finance and accounting group.  Fred and Barb jumped at that opportunity (which may be a bit of hyperbole in the case of Fred, as he rarely did anything quickly or in an unmeasured fashion). Fred made Notre Dame his professional home for the next 35 years or so, serving the University as its Comptroller and managing its endowment fund for a number of those years.  He was humbled to receive the University’s President’s Award from Fr. Hesburgh in 1980 and the John Cardinal O’Hara, C.S.C. Award from the University’s Alumni Association in 1997.    

Fred was a modest, frugal and patient man, and lived by simple principles, perhaps arising initially from his days as an Eagle Scout.  “Be careful, and do the good thing and the right thing” were words of wisdom he consistently shared with his sons and their friends as they ventured out for evenings of fun.  He truly enjoyed doing the hard work and doing it the right way, whether that was at the office, caring for his lawn and rose gardens or multitude of birdhouses (and homemade contraptions to keep the squirrels away), nursing his pool equipment back to health, making home improvements (bricking the house or remodeling the basement with a friend, as examples) or feeding his natural intellectual curiosity.   After a day of work at the office, he’d frequently be found at the family’s kitchen table or his favorite living room chair, listening to vinyl classical music, while poring over work spreadsheets, religious texts and commentary, astronomy or bird books, his sons’ math or English papers that needed review and editing or the South Bend Tribune sports page and the Wall Street Journal, often read cover to cover and always folded just right.  He would happily discuss any world events, Notre Dame football or share what he had learned from those studies, as he was a teacher at heart and had the patience to persist in making sure the right points were understood.  He was faith-filled and could be found most lunch hours in the Crypt at Sacred Heart Basilica for 12:10 mass, only to return to his office under the Dome for the lunch Barb had made him that morning, unless he was meeting one of his sons for a quick cheeseburger at the Huddle while they were students at Notre Dame.  He also enjoyed simple pleasures:  a late night swim, a bowl (or two) of ice cream, chocolates of all varieties, fishing with Barb and his friends and family at Land o’ Lakes, while enjoying a cold Pabst Blue Ribbon and the eagles soaring overhead and deer mulling about at sunrise or sunset.  Some of Fred’s closest friends were the C.S.C. priests that were his classmates or that otherwise helped him during his seminary years and beyond, and they were often guests on Sunday afternoons and evenings in the family home, celebrating brief masses during breaks or half-times of whatever sporting event happened to be televised on that afternoon, all before turning to the fine meal Barb or those priests had prepared for the family to enjoy.

Fred is survived by his sons, John (Mollie) Baumer of Manhattan Beach, California, Steve (Maureen) Baumer of St. Louis, Missouri and Brian of South Bend; grandchildren, Maxwell, Delaney and Jack Henry and Nick, Andrew, Luke and Genevieve, as well numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Barbara, and his father, Frederick Herman, his mother, Margaret Susan, and his brother, Thomas Maxwell.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM Monday, April 24, 2023, in Christ the King Catholic Parish, 52473 SR 933, South Bend, IN.  Graveside services and burial will follow in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Notre Dame. Friends may visit with the family for one hour prior to mass in the church on Monday.

Contributions in memory of Fred may be made to Food for the Poor’s home building projects, a favorite charity of Fred’s after his youngest son spent two years working for the organization: www.foodforthepoor.org.  Palmer Funeral Home – Hickey Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the Baumer family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.

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