Andrew E. Bauer

Andrew Edmund Bauer, 31, passed away on August 12, 2016 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, after a relentless battle with liver disease. He spent his final days surrounded by those who cared deeply for him and his final hours holding the hand of the love-of-his-life.Funeral services will be 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at Eternity Church, 2000 NW 100th St. in Clive with burial following at Iowa Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Eternity Church.

Andrew was born on January 26, 1985 to Michael Bauer and Kristine Johnson. He grew up mainly in DeSoto while briefly living as a teenager in Sioux City. Andrew found himself playing video games, going to concerts, and just causing trouble around town with a group of friends self-named “B3 for Life.” During this time, Shawn Webb, Jesse Morrill, Mike Callison, Kyle Stump, Jordan Denman and Ryan Lathrop would become and remain some of Andrew’s best friends. In May 2004, Andrew graduated from ADM High School with big plans for the future.

On August 9, 2004 in Sioux City, Andrew officially entered the Iowa Army National Guard and became a tanker with the 113rd Cavalry. With hard work and dedication, Andrew moved up the ranks before deploying with his unit, in 2005, to Iraq. During this deployment old friendships were made stronger and new friendships were forged. His unit was repeatedly assaulted but preserved and all returned home except for a good friend of Andrew’s, SGT Dan Sesker. The loss was tough but his military “brothers” Shawn Parks, Phil Edwards, Ben Doyle, amongst others helped each other continue to press forward. After returning from Iraq, Andrew went to work at Camp Dodge in Johnston for the NET/DET Fielding Team. It was working there that he built an amazing friendship between him and James “Juice” Justice. The two became quite the pair and their antics and adventures were well known. When Juice was killed in 2011, Andrew struggled deeply with the loss of another great friend and brother. Andrew continued to work at Camp Dodge until he was medically retired out of the military in 2013 due to sustained injuries after achieving the rank of Sergeant.

While Andrew had amazing friends, it was one woman in particular who instantly stole his heart. Shortly after returning from Iraq in 2006, Andrew met Karry Monson. He was struck not only by her beauty but also by her kind, caring, and generous heart. Andrew and Karry dated for several years and went through many tough times while sticking by one another’s side. On June 15, 2013, Andrew and Karry stood in front of all of their family and friends and said “I Do.” No one doubted that they would be together until the end as their love and commitment to one another was one for the ages.

On June 19, 2015 Andrew and Karry welcomed an amazing fair-skinned, blue-eyed baby boy into their lives and hearts when Peyton James Bauer arrived. He quickly became the greatest source of joy and brought new meaning to the word family for both of them. When Andrew wasn’t spending time with Karry and “P” he enjoyed watching Hawkeye football, gaming, being a computer enthusiast, and chilling with his dog, Brewski. And for a short time, life had never been better.

Andrew is survived by his wife, Karry (Monson) Bauer and son Peyton Bauer, both of Grimes; father, Mike (Missy) Bauer of Winterset; mother, Kristine (Louis) Martin of Sioux City; step-father, Jerry Bowles of Sioux City brothers, Michael Bauer and Tanner Marquardt, both of Winterset, and Adam Bowles (Kelsey Tronson) of Sioux City; sister, Kari (Ian) Struble of Sioux City; parents-in-law, Karen and Rich Boever of Bancroft and Larry and Leslie Monson of Britt; brothers-in-law, Tom (Melanie) Monson of Humboldt, Tim Monson of Britt, and Tanner Boever of Bancroft; grandparents, Patricia and Edward Novak of Omaha, Tootie Hauschildt of Winterset, and Gordon and Bert Kirchhoff of Humboldt; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and military brothers.

Andrew is preceded in death by his stepmom, Janet Bauer; grandfather, Jerry Johnson, and grandparents, Edmund and Joleen Bauer, Evan and Marie Berry, and Oscar and Vivian Monson.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Andrew’s Give Forward account. “If love alone could have saved you, you would have lived forever.”