Walter Bauer, 84, of Vero Beach, died peacefully at the Centre Hospitalier de Chateaurous, France, on Sept. 30, 2014.
An avid traveler and bon vivant, he died as he had lived, with panache. He was in the company of his beloved family: wife Shelby Outlaw and son Robert Bauer.
He is survived by his wife Shelby Outlaw; sons Bret M. Bauer and Robert Bauer; granddaughters Nicole, Morgan and Courtney Bauer; his stepchildren Blue Spruell, Stephen Outlaw-Spruell, Alexandra Outlaw Mahn; and his step-grandchildren Sayer and Miya Spruell, Ko, Kai and Nina Outlaw-Spruell and Ronan Mahn.
Bauer captured hearts wherever he went with his joyful laughter and his genuine concern for everyone he met. Despite the language barrier, he was surrounded in his last days by the loving kindness of strangers and the companionship of cherished friends.
Special thanks are due to his dedicated and compassionate medical dream teams: Doctors Splendoria, McCormack, Perry and Merchant in Vero Beach, and Doctors Grigoras, Reynal and Christiann and nurses Monjoin and Plault.
Bauer was one of the legendary Woody Hayes “boys” when he attended Ohio State University on a football scholarship and he remained an enthusiastic supporter of his “Buckeyes.” After retiring from Mead Westvaco as Vice President of Marketing in the petro chemical division, he exploited his love of good food, drink and company by representing boutique California wineries, a Peruvian brewery (Cristal) and a Peruvian distillery where he called on his expertise in chemistry to develop and market a unique blend of pisco, a Peruvian brandy.
Although plagued by many health problems for the last 15 years, he never slowed down and never complained. He greeted every day as a unique gift of God and accepted his mortality with courage and the peace that came from a life lived to the fullest.
He is profoundly mourned by his beloved wife, Shelby Alexandra Outlaw. It was love at first sight when they met as “Strangers in the Night.” They married on the 25th anniversary of the day they met and were in France to celebrate their 8th wedding anniversary when Bauer became dangerously dehydrated from a recent chemotherapy treatment.
Family friend Didier Massoubre lovingly cared for him and his family throughout this difficult time. On his last conscious night he told Shelby and his dear friend, Jean Ithurralde, “I think the food here is the best…for the soul.”
Bauer loved God, his family and his fellow man and he embarked on the mysterious adventure we call “death” with dignity, courage and tranquility. As he was fond of saying “It doesn’t get any better than this!”
There will be a service in the Chapel at Trinity Episcopal Church (parking by the Bell Tower, entrance on Granada Street) in Vero Beach at 11 a.m. on Oct. 18, and a celebration of his life on Dec. 27, in Atlanta, Ga. Memorial gifts to his cherished Trinity Episcopal Church, 2365 Pine Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32960 will be gratefully appreciated.
