Merritt Bauer, 85, of Carpinteria went to be with the Lord on Jan. 4, 2015.
He was born in a sod house north of Alliance, Neb., on Nov. 17, 1929, to Maude May (Nason) Bauer and John Benjamin Bauer. He was raised in the Santa Rosa area and graduated from Tomales High School in 1948.
Following graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served four years. Merritt met his future wife, Edna Royer, in Honolulu, Hawaii, while he was serving at Pearl Harbor as an aerial photographer. Merritt and Edna married on June 10, 1951, and moved to Santa Barbara at the end of his enlistment so he could attend Westmont College.
After transferring to UCSB, Merritt graduated in 1957 with a bachelor of arts degree in education. After two years teaching in Santa Barbara, he taught two years in Anchorage, Alaska, and another two years in Healdsburg, Calif. He then returned to Santa Barbara, where he taught for the next 26 years. Merritt retired from teaching fifth grade at Peabody School in 1989.
In addition to amateur photography, Merritt loved aviation. He learned to fly in Hawaii, completing his solo training by flying between islands in a Piper Cub, and was an active member of Flying Clubs in both Anchorage and Santa Barbara. He loved building projects and raising farm animals. He built two of the first homes in Isla Vista after UCSB relocated in 1954. His masterpiece was the home he built on Lincolnwood Drive in Santa Barbara in 1984.
Merritt will always be remembered for his strength of character, the sacrificial love he showed his wife and children, and his spiritual leadership as a faithful believer in Christ.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Edna Bauer, as well as his son, John Bauer of Leavenworth, Kan.; his daughter, Marilyn (Bauer) vanZeyl of Carpinteria;, grandchildren Sharon, Evan, Kristen and Calvin Bauer, and Mattys vanZeyl; and sister Carmen (Bauer) Brittain. He was preceded in death by his brother, Max Bauer, and sister, Shirley (Bauer) McFarland.
A memorial service in his honor will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10 at Carpinteria Valley Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations in Merritt’s name may be made to Westmont College, 955 La Paz Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108-1089.
Arrangements entrusted to Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapels.