HUNSTEIN KENNETH "KEN" BAUMAN

January 10, 2024

Hunstein Kenneth “Ken” Bauman of Kincardine died Jan. 10, 2024, at the age of 91, due to complications of Pulmonary Fibrosis. In his own words, he wrote: I have gone – permanently – but please don’t fret as I have been wonderfully healthy and active into my nonagenarian (91-plus) years, although a diagnosis of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) in my 92nd year has somewhat shortened my wonderful life. Now only God and I know if I have gone ‘to a better place’. Unless we are famous enough to write our own autobiographical book or foresighted enough to prepare our own extensive obituary in advance of our death, we tend to die with only our immediate family even vaguely aware of our most earnest and deepest thoughts and feelings about a life that was lived. Those standardized, syrupy obituaries we read every day leave out many truths and what remains leaves us wanting more. I have tried throughout my life to try ‘to give back’ wherever possible and to always do what I felt was ‘the right thing’. While I feel that I was generally successful, there were a few situations when my true intentions were misunderstood by those involved and, unfortunately, some relationships suffered. As I travelled through retirement in the fourth and final quarter of my life, I felt compelled to set out a few of my thoughts and feelings about my life as clearly as is possible even though in death, as in life, my observations may please some but upset others. I apologize for neither. I say that I am in ‘the fourth and final QUARTER of my life’ because on looking back, I have observed that my life has been divided into four approximately 20- to 30-year periods or quarters (like a North American football game) with each period coincident with the wonderful women then prominent in my life, as well as my many other friends and acquaintances with whom I associated but who are now too numerous to list. According to population experts, those of us who were born in the 1930-1946 period are part of the smallest group born since the early 1900s and in 2024, we are now between 78 and 94 years old, having out-lived 99 per cent of our peer group. The FIRST QUARTER in my game of life (my childhood and teenage youth) encompassed a period of economic depression and then a period of world war deprivation (of which I have many interesting and vivid memories) and eventual recovery. I was protected from those vagaries by the love and care of my parents. My mother was Beatrice Tabitha Hunstein of Mildmay and Cargill (1903-1987, a 1925 graduate operating room nurse from the Kitchener Hospital) and my father was Leander Groff Bauman of Conestoga and Kitchener (1897-1984, a long-time banker/mortgage department manager with the original Waterloo Trust and Savings Company which became Canada Trust). Their combination of United Church and Old Order Mennonite backgrounds and their many community involvements allowed me to gain an excellent religious understanding and grounding at Zion Evangelical United Church in Kitchener and a sympathetic understanding of other religions and lifestyles. At the age of eight (to age 18), a K-W Record late afternoon paper route revealed to me the economic benefits of business and commerce, and a summer job from age 12 (to age 18) with the grounds maintenance crew of rubber industrialist, A.R. Kaufman, impressed me with the physical benefits of manual labour. Summers between university terms, were spent gaining office experience at the downtown Kitchener CPR train ticket office. Curling and tennis became my sports of choice in my early teens, both of which I enjoyed throughout my life. Four years after my birth (in 1936), my beloved sister, Helen Powell, was born. King Edward Public School (nine years), Victoria School (one year), Kitchener Collegiate and Vocational Institute (KCI – four years) and two years at Waterloo College (now Wilfrid Laurier University) prepared me for two years at the (now Richard Ivey) School of Business) at the University of Western Ontario (now Western University) in London, where I obtained an HBA degree in June, 1955. I was also awarded one of three Merit Awards for participation and leadership in many activities during my for university years. The SECOND QUARTER of my life began in June, 1955, with my first full-time job as a finance trainee and travelling auditor with Canadian General Electric in Toronto and Peterborough. Marriage in early 1956 to Gale Wills of Kitchener (who also attended Western while I was there and who subsequently became a doctor of social work at the University of Toronto and is now retired in Victoria, B.C.) soon brought two wonderful children - daughter Vicki Gale Evans now retired in Los Angeles, California, and son Douglas Kenneth Bauman, now coping with advanced Multiple Sclerosis (which ended a promising piano/music career) at a care home in Victoria B.C. Granddaughter, Lindsay Evans also resides in Los Angeles, California, with her partner, Nick Lanata, and their son (my great-grandson), Vincent. Sister Helen married Thomas Powell, May 24, 1958, and they have three children - Richard (and Kathy) Powell of Cardinal, Sandra Snowden (Mark) of Kitchener, and Susan (Jeff) Dyck of Conestogo.. Each couple has two children. A 1959 job change required a move back to Kitchener, and eventually to the purchase of a new home and to managerial accounting positions at Raytheon Canada in Waterloo (during which time I completed the CPA course of study resulting in a CA degree). Subsequent management positions at Kayson Plastics in Preston, Lear Seigler Seating, Dunker Construction, a house contractor in Kitchener, Dexter-Lawson in Cambridge, Sunar in Waterloo and the Waterloo Credit Union, all prepared me for my best and final job – 11 years as a Senior Business Consultant with the Ontario Ministry of Industry Trade and Technology. There, I helped manufacturing businesses in the K-W, Cambridge, Guelph and Owen Sound/Grey/Bruce areas to access Ontario assistance programs and to help initiate Canada’s Technology Triangle (K-W, Guelph, Cambridge) whose work to attract new companies to the area was assumed by the Waterloo Region Economic Development Department in 2015. My most memorable experience was working with Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie of Waterloo’s Research In Motion (RIM) to help organize seminars to introduce the extremely successful Blackberry cell phone technology to the world. (I have always regretted NOT borrowing every dollar I could find to invest in Research In Motion/Blackberry). However, I retired comfortably in July, 1995 at age 63 after 40 years in the accounting, finance and consulting fields. My THIRD QUARTER began in 1974 with an unfortunate separation (and later divorce). However, I was later introduced to Betty Thompson (through a blind date arranged by long-time friends) and we became ’an item’ for the next five years, until marrying in June, 1979 (when I also acquired three step-daughters - the late Susan Pinsonneault, Pat Thompson-Brewin and Judy Thompson). Miss Betty’s work on CKCO-TV’s “Romper Room” and her other morning general interest TV programs and community involvements introduced her to Zonta International, me to Rotary International (where we both became local club presidents; as a Paul Harris Fellow, I was also acclaimed for 18 years of perfect weekly attendance at a weekly Rotary Club of Kitchener-Westmount meeting). Both of us were able to enjoy the wonders of world travel which we did regularly due to her contacts and my purchase of a 35-mm film camera and later a shoulder-mount video camera with which we recorded our travels as program material for her morning public interest programs. Her breast/bone cancer ended my curling activities in favour of her care and it also ended her life, April 9, 1994, less than four years after the diagnosis. I have been so privileged to have visited at least 70 countries on five of the seven continents (excluding the Arctic and Antarctic). A May, 1972, month-long, memorable family camper van trip from England through France (Loire Valley, Paris), Spain, Monaco, Italy (Venice), Austria and Germany, introduced us to the wonders of travel which changed our lives immeasurably. I have walked on China’s Great Wall and have been amazed by the Terra-Cotta Warriors. I have stood in the centre of Moscow’s Red Square and I have climbed Australia’s Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) and Paris’ Eiffel Tower. I have been to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, spent Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, walked Jerusalem’s Stations of the Cross, marvelled at the Dead Sea Scrolls, the majesty of Masada, life at a Dead Sea (Ein Gedi) kibbutzim and the architectural marvels of Jordan’s ancient lost city of Petra. I have honeymooned at Niagara Falls, and Morocco and Hong Kong, seen Brazil’s Iguassu Falls and Rio’s Ipanema Beach. I have travelled up the mighty Nile River to the Valley of the Kings and Queens where I visited the tomb of King Tut (and saw his treasures at the Cairo Museum). I have visited the cradle of humanity in Africa’s Rift Valley, floated in a balloon over the migrating animals of Tanzania and glided over Arizona. I have toured throughout historic Britain, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, walked through the Stonehenge and watched Shakespeare performed at both Stratford-on-Avons. The Beaches of Normandy, Greece, Bermuda, Hawaii, Mexico, most of the Caribbean Islands, across the United States (including old route 66) and Canada and more - have all amazed me with their individuality and beauty. However, none of these can match the wonderful times experienced at the cottages and camp sites of Lake Huron – including Grand Bend, Lurgan Beach, Kincardine, Inverhuron, Sauble Beach and Tobermory, as well as the Grandview condo which I owned for 10 years in Muskoka, near Hunstsville. The FOURTH and final QUARTER began in 1995 (with overtime a definite possibility) with the renewal of an earlier social friendship with MaryLou Thompson-Westman of Teeswater and Hanover. Our marriage, Jan. 1, 1995, introduced seven more step-children and 10 step-grandchildren to my family; Gail (and Michael) Walden (Erica and Lucas) of Kincardine, Sandra Thompson (Brin and Riley) of Mississauga, Christine (and Dan) Reio (Olivia and Jackson) of Mississauga, Phillip (and Lynda) Thompson (Cameron and Andrew) of Teeswater, Julie (and Mike) Pootmans (Alex and Jack) of Tottenham, Steve (and Angela) Westman (Jessica and Nicole), Lisa (and Jose) Olmedo (Isabela and Erik), as well as sister-in-law, Greer Dunlop of Toronto. With the advent of Mike Harris’ Ontario government downsizing, I took early retirement at age 63 in August, 1995. Within three years, MaryLou and I had expanded her Lurgan Beach cottage into a home, and my home (of 35 years) and other properties in Kitchener, and the recreational condo at Grandview, Huntsville, were sold in exchange for retirement on the Lake Huron beach and winters in Florida. A move to a lakeview home in Kincardine in 2001 ended our winter vacations. However, I continued to play tennis at the Kincardine Tennis Club where, with friends, I started a ‘Come-As-You-Please’ morning tennis group. A torn Achilles tendon at age 83 ended my sports activities in 2015. However, I continued to manage the Kincardine Tennis Club and was instrumental in having the courts rebuilt and reopened in 2018 by the Municipality of Kincardine. MaryLou continues to play bridge regularly and assists the local Amish community with some of their transportation needs and with whom we developed friendships that we both deeply cherish. Aircraft and automobiles have always been among my interests although I have never been mechanically inclined. As a pre-teen child, my bedroom ceiling was covered with hanging model aircraft which I assembled from balsawood kits, especially when I was bedridden and recovering from major ear infections after having had my ear drums punctured to relieve the pressure. In 1967, I undertook my personal Centennial project of obtaining my private pilot’s license which I finally achieved but due to the cost, was unable to pursue further. My first car was a used 1953 Hillman Minx, but in 1959, I purchased a used 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air four-door hardtop (robin’s egg blue and white) which is still touted as the all-time automotive style leader. It was followed by a 1959 MGA sports car and a 1963 Buick Skylark convertible, with a four-on-the floor manual Hurst shifter – which I like to think heralded the ‘muscle car’ era. I later acquired a 1970s Cougar, before purchasing a white 1976 MGB (convertible) sports car in 1977– which I still own and operate after 47 years. Pets have also been a happy part of my life. I grew up with three fox terriers (Spotty 1, Spotty 2 and Trixie). Later, Max, a Persian rescue cat was a short-term resident, but left us for another home because of our busy lives. MaryLou reintroduced me to the world of cats and dogs with Beau, her brown Lab and her cat, Jasmine. Since then, we have enjoyed rescue cats, Jazz, Coco, Dali, Dunk, Mick, Pierre, Sarah. Now, Maltese sister dogs, Molly and Milly, along with Amish rescue cats, Lizzy, Normy, Pierre, Pietra, Willy and Winny (along with many aquarium and backyard pond fish), comprise our animal family. Throughout my recent health issues, I have appreciated the excellent help and support of the local medical organizations, as well as from many friends. I sincerely thank you all. With your donations, please remember the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation as it seeks $18-million for further hospital expansions as well as a new MRI suite. The funeral will be held Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, at 1 p.m., at the Davey-Linklater Funeral Home, Kincardine, with Ann Maycock officiating. A reception will follow the service. Interment, Pine River Cemetery. Portrait and memorial at www.daveylinklaterfuneralhome.com.