by Rodney Frederick Bauch Death, Obituary – Rod’s birthday is July 2nd, 1948, and he was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, to parents named Herb and Joyce Bauch. On January 6, 2023, Rod passed away unexpectedly in the comfort of his home in Somerset. In 1966, he received his diploma from North High School in Fargo, North Dakota. Rod enlisted in the military in 1966, went through basic training at Fort Rucker in Alabama, and was eventually dismissed from the military with honors in 1969. During his time in the military, he served as a crew chief for fixed-wing aircraft and as a gunner on Huey helicopters. Multiple citations were awarded to him in recognition of his valor while serving his country.
After serving in the military, he went on to meet the woman who would become his wife, Karen Mitchell, and on November 28, 1970, they wed in Barron, Wisconsin. Shortly after moving in together, Rod and Karen made their home in Minneapolis before relocating to North St. Paul in 1974 and staying there until they moved to Somerset in 2001. Between the years 1969 and 1994, Rod held the position of machinist at Lewis Bolt and Nut. After that, he went into the sales department. After then, Rod held the position of inside sales at Williams Steel and Hardware from the years 1994 to 2009. Rod’s talent for conversation helped him make a lot of acquaintances in his line of work.
Rod was a huge NASCAR enthusiast and also cheered for the Minnesota Vikings and the North Dakota State University Bison. Horns Up! He was also a passionate rider of motorcycles, and his motto was “MOTORCYCLE OR NO CAR.” Rod is survived by his wife Karen, whom he had been married to for 52 years, as well as his children Kim and Scotty (Molly). Torey, Freddy, Marquis, Tyshaun, Brody, and Macy are the 7 grandchildren, and Great Granddaughter Elena rounds out the family. The author’s sister Kris (Bob), her niece/goddaughter Sunny, and her nephew Cody. Not only Rod’s cherished daughter Sam, but also his parents Herb and Joyce, and his sister Karen, had passed away before him.
