Harold Joseph Baum

Harold Joseph Baum was born in 1931 in St. Paul MN. He moved to Cook MN when he was 2, stayed there for about ½ year and then moved to Rock Creek MN where his parents Louis and Viola bought a farm. Harold attended School 13 and he always teased that he was so smart he was able to skip the 7th grade! Come to find out it was that they just didn’t have any students in that grade so he moved to 8th grade! Harold graduated in 1948. After graduation he married Dee Petersen in 1951 and was drafted into the army in 1952. Dad was stationed in Germany during the Korean War. He was a tank commander and was honorably discharged in 1954. Harold had three children. Phillip was born in 1955, Cheryl in 1957 and Karen in 1958. After Harold got out of the service he bought a farm east of Rock Creek and started a milk route. After 3 years he sold the milk route and went to work for Gresser Inc. in Eagen MN. He commuted every day until finally moving to Burnsville in 1977 after all of the kids had graduated from high school. Harold and Dee moved back to Pine City and bought a home near Pokegama Lake in 1994. Harold commuted to work for about a year and then retired in 1995. One of his proudest jobs as superintendent of Gresser was the Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis. He then took on a part time job delivering lawn mowers for Isanti County Equipment. Harold loved to fish whether it was in his spear house in the winter , in a boat on Mille Lacs or sitting on our dock. He took several trips to Canada with Phillip and even took his grandson Luke a few times. Harold always looked forward to deer hunting every November. He really enjoyed being with the guys for 3 weekends out of the year. He may not have come home with a deer every year, but he came home with plenty of great memories to share and laugh about. There are so many memories of the cabin at Bass Lake. That was Harold’s place of solace. He would head up there on Friday nights and stay as late as he could on Sunday nights. The grandchildren learned to water ski there and Luke spent many hours in the boat with grandpa trying to catch the “big one”. Harold lived for his family. He would always say he just wanted his family together. He loved all of his 6 grand children, Nichole, Tarrah, Kristin, Luke, Mandy and Angie. He was blessed with 8 great grandchildren as well. These past few years if Harold was having an off day it was guaranteed that one of his grandchildren could put a smile or a laugh back into his day. His lap was always big enough for all of them. That is just the way “Papa Baum” was. Harold, may you live your life now with your wife Dee, get your fishing pole back out and finally catch the “big one”. Harold Joseph Baum, age 81 of Pine City, passed away on Friday, October 12th at Ecumen of North Branch. Harold is survived by his three children: Phillip Baum and his wife JoAnn of Minnetonka, Cheryl Gentile of Atlanta, Georgia, and Karen Anderson and her husband Doug of Pine City; grandchildren: Nichole Dunn and her husband Michael of Columbus, Ohio, Tarrah Jo Garcia and her husband JR of Denver, Colorado, Kristin Unverzagt and her husband Michael of Pine City, Luke Anderson and his wife Nikki of Pine City, Angie Gentile of Atlanta, Georgia, and Amanda Vander Iest and her husband JR of Atlanta, Georgia; 8 great grandchildren; sister Cecelia Lundeen of Pine City, brother Gene Baum and his wife Linda of Pine City, many other relatives and friends. Harold is preceded in death by his wife Delores, parents Louis and Viola Baum, and brother Wally Baum. Monsignor Aleksander Suchan celebrated a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m., Monday (10/15/12) at Immaculate Conception Church in Pine City. Kathryn Olson, Kolette Lind, and Kevin Cahill provided music. Casket bearers were Luke Anderson, Mike Unverzagt, Mike Lundeen, Jerry Williams, Jim Laly, and Greg Kezele. Deacon Mark Pulkrabek officiated vigil prayer services were at 7:00 p.m., Sunday (10/14/12) at the Swanson Funeral Chapel. Interment was in the Calvary Cemetery, Pine City with military honors by the Heath Perkins American Legion Post # 51, Novak-Milliren VFW Post # 4258, and the Minnesota National Guard.