Ramona Jeanine (Shepherd) Bauer

Ramona Jeanine (Shepherd) Bauer, 59, passed away suddenly on Saturday March 6, 2010 near Libby.

Ramona was born Sept. 24, 1950 in Oakland, Calif., to Lucile and Henry Shepherd. She and her family moved to the Flathead Valley in 1968, where she finished up her senior year at Flathead High School. She married Dan Bauer on June 7, 1969. They had four children, Shannon Leroy, Lisa Jeanine, Danielle Leah and Chad Levi. She was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in August 1968 in Spokane, Wash. She was a member of the Whitefish Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Ramona was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She took each of these roles very seriously and made each one of us feel loved, special and protected. One of her greatest loves were her grandchildren. Her eyes lit up whenever she saw them or talked about them. She was a gifted artist, many of her beautiful paintings still hang in her family and friends homes. Ramona was an expert gardener, planting a huge vegetable garden every year and canning the produce. She also had a beautiful flower garden, full of many varieties of flowers. She loved going hunting and camping every year with her dear family and friends at Spotted Bear. She loved puzzles and games, especially her crossword puzzles. She was a very self-sacrificing person, she never told anyone no and never complained, no matter how difficult the situation may have been. So many people relied on her generous and kind spirit. She always had a smile on her face and a phone to her ear, sometimes both ears. She had a wonderful, contagious laugh and such a lovely smile. She always looked for the good in others, looked for the best side of any situation. She was a beautiful, loving, kind, bright light in our lives. Words cannot express how much we loved her, how much we will miss her.

Ramona had strong faith in the promised hope of the resurrection. ( John 11:25, John 5:28, 29) She talked often about seeing her son, Shannon again. She kept that day always in her mind.

Ramona is survived by her husband of 41 years, Dan Bauer of Columbia Falls; daughters, Lisa and husband Charly Ayidomihou of Columbia Falls, Danielle and husband, Jeff Sanders of Kalispell; son, Chad and wife, Joanna Bauer of Kalispell; grandchildren, Katie Ulrich, Coltin Dodge, Furious Sanders, Peyton Sanders, Jordan Bauer and Dylan Bauer; mother, Lucile Shepherd of Columba Falls; brother, Leonard Shepherd and wife, Sandy of Hamilton; sister, Irene Crow of Kila; father-in-law, Roy Bauer and wife, Flossie of Columbia Falls; and numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

She was preceded in death by her son Shannon Leroy, her two grandchildren, Jeremy Dodge Sanders and Jade Helen Ulrich.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2010, 1 p.m. at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.