George Baier

George Mahlandt Baier was born June 18, 1921, on a farm east of Anita, Iowa, the son of Fred Henry and Goldie Arlene (Daughenbaugh) Baier and passed away April 28, 2014, at the Atlantic Nursing and Rehab Center in Atlantic, IA.

G.M. graduated from the Wiota High School in 1938. He worked on farms as a hired man until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 7, 1942. After boot camp, G.M. was assigned to the 29th Construction Battalion sometimes called the Seebees. He was later assigned to base personnel in the supply department of Camp Peary, VA, which was a large Seebee training base. G.M. received a third class storekeeper rate in November 1942, and a second class storekeeper rate in December 1942.

On January 27, 1943, he married Bernice Mary Brix during his first leave. Bernice traveled with G.M. while he was stationed in Richmond and Williamsburg, VA. After two years, the Navy decided that there were too many Seebees. He was then transferred to the regular Navy and transferred to base personnel at Great Lakes Navel training Station near Chicago, IL. The couple lived in Waukegan, IL.

His next assignment was with a taskforce of aircraft carriers and destroyers aboard D E 397 doing anti-submarine patrol which was out on the north Atlantic in the winter. They patrolled from St. John’s, Newfoundland, down to Bermuda, returning to New York and Norfolk, Virginia, for supplies. During this time, Bernice visited relatives in Maryland and then returned to Atlantic, IA.

When the war in Europe ended, G.M. returned to Camp Peary, VA and then was transferred to the Mechanicsburg, PA, naval supply depot. He lived in Harrisburg, PA, until the end of the Japanese war. G.M. was discharged from the Navy in February of 1946 as a Storekeeper First Class.

He returned to Cass County and started farming on March 1, 1946. G.M. rented farms for nine years, buying the home farm in 1955.

G.M. served on the Cass County Soil & Water Conservation Board for 22 years, the Golden Hills Resource and Conservation and Development Board for 15 years, was a charter member of the Turkey Creek Watershed Board that constructed 60 dams in Cass County and was a charter member of the Franklin Grove H.O.T. 4-H Club, which was started in 1936. He also served as Swine Superintendent of the Cass County Fair for several years.

G.M. raised purebred Black Angus cattle and purebred Hampshire and Chester White hogs. He also sold seed stock to six states and South Korea. He was a Cass County resident his entire life except for four years in the Navy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Goldie Baier; his wife, Bernice Baier; his daughter, Sharon Tessman; his grandson, Todd Tessman; his brother, Arnold Baier; and his brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Leo Spiker and Ivan (Burnice) Brix.

G.M. is survived by his son, Lynn (Barbara) Baier of Atlantic; his son-in-law, Melvin Tessman of Atlantic; his grandchildren, Janna (Tawfik) Azim of Sacramento, CA, Stacy (Gavin) Lendt of Lexnexa, KS, Sarah (Ruben) Newell of Denison, Samantha (Luke Edick) Baier of Maryville, MO, and Ross Baier of Ames; his step-grandchildren, Guy Parrott (Anna) of Council Bluffs and Katie (Mike) Hansen of Atlantic; his great-grandchildren, Alex Taylor of Raymore, MO, Reese and Loren Long of Atlantic and Jaxon Edick of Maryville, Mo; his brother, Randall (Phyllis) Baier of Griswold; his sister-in-law, Dorothy Spiker of Newton; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, May 1, 2014, at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic. Burial will be in the Atlantic Cemetery. A time for visitation and refreshments will be served in the church fellowship hall following the burial.

Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.