Mary Ann Veronica Bauer, 67

Mary Ann Veronica Bauer, 67, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008, at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene after suffering a heart attack at her home in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008, at the Lakeview Funeral Home Chapel. A gathering will follow at 1 p.m. at Mary Ann's home.

Mary Ann was born on Feb. 14, 1941, the only child of Ralph Anthony Roden and Kathryn Anna Hoffman-Roden at University Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn.

She grew up in Albertville, Minnesota, attending Mount St. Mary's Convent School for two years before attending and graduating from West High School in Minneapolis.

In 1958 she headed west, spending most of the years in Sandpoint with short breaks to live and work in Spokane, Wash., and Priest Lake, Idaho.

Mary Ann worked mainly in the food service industry including positions at the Pastime Café, Traveler's Motel, and the 219 Lounge.

She managed the North Shore Lodge from 1967 to 1969 and when she moved to Spokane, she was the night manager at the Spokane Airport Restaurant and bar manager at The Flame.

In Priest Lake, she managed the Nordman Club, and finished her food service career in Sandpoint as manager of the Sandpoint Elks Lodge. She also catered many events for the Lion's Club throughout the years.

Mary Ann retired from the Elks in 1980 and married Norman "Norm" Ernst Bauer on Nov. 15 of that same year.

They were married for eight years until his death on May 11, 1988.

Mary Ann took up residence on Lakeview in Sandpoint for a number of years and in the mid-1990s purchased her final home on Pack River Road, naming it Bearwood Forest.

One of Mary Ann's greatest passions was history. Her home at Bearwood is a marvelous testament to the Wild West that Mary Ann so dearly loved.

In this home she continued her hobbies of reading, sewing, collecting antique glassware and tableware, garage-saling, and best of all, she continued to give the gift of herself.

To her friends she gave all - never did friends leave her home empty handed or empty hearted.

This generosity extended far beyond her many friends to all who were in need and the list of her charitable causes was extensive.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her father, mother, and husband, Norm. She had no children of her own, however her life was full of love and laughter shared with her many, many friends who are all the richer for having known her.

Memorials may be made in her memory to any of the numerous local charitable organizations, some examples of which are Panhandle Animal Shelter, Bonner Gospel Mission, Bonner County Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, or any organization of personal choice.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements.

Please visit Mary Ann's online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign her guest book.