Harvey Harold Bauder

Harvey Harold Bauder, 90, of McLaughlin, South Dakota, passed away on Thursday January 25, 2024. Harvey was born on December 8, 1933, making him the second youngest of 13 children to Jacob and Caroline (Mertz) Bauder.

He was born and raised in McLaughlin, where he resided for most of his life, except for his time in the service.

In 1954, Harvey enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Germany during the Korean Conflict where he was an elevation setter (because he was too small to handle the shells) until 1956 when he returned home.

In 1958 he met the love of his life, Mary Ann Hertel where they attended a Hank Snow concert, and the rest was history. April 3, 1959, he married Mary Ann and they went on to have five children, Rhonda, Troy, Kory, Jay and Sheryl.

In the year of 1990, he tragically lost his son. Jay, in an oilfield accident. Within the same year, he also lost his sweetheart, Mary Ann.

He worked for the South Dakota Department of Transportation from 1965-1995 when he retired.

Upon retirement, if he wasn't doing mechanic work you could find him hunting, fishing, in his garden or in Wyoming spending time with family making sausage.

Anyone who knew Harvey knew that his smile would light up any room he walked into, and his Woody Woodpecker impression was good enough to turn heads. He loved playing card games, but only if his grandkids didn't cheat. When he couldn't take the cheating any longer, he resorted to Solitaire. He had the greenest thumb, and anyone lucky enough to try his homemade pickles would agree.

In 2023, Harvey moved to Wyoming to spend more time with his family and enjoyed creating more memories that will last a lifetime.

He is survived by his sons, Kory Bauder and Troy (Trena) Bauder; daughters, Rhonda (Ron) Sandquist, Sheryl (Vince) Waters; his sister, Bernice Record. He is also survived by his seven grandchildren and his 17 great-grandchildren. 

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Mary Ann; his son, Jay Bauder; his parents, Jacob and Caroline; and 11 of his 13 siblings. 

A viewing for Harvey Bauder was held at Kesling Funeral Home on February 1, 2024. On February 2, 2024, there was a burial at the Lutheran Cemetery in McLaughlin.

"Oh lord, it's hard to be Harvey."