Donald John Bayer

Don was a lifelong member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ. He married the absolute love of his life, Marian E. Schanz, there on January 29, 1955. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Korean War from 1952 – 1954 then he was honorably discharged to come home to run the family business. He then ran Don Bayer’s Barber Shop from 1954 – 2004. He was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, South Side & Swansea Improvement Association, and he was a life member of the Senior Citizens Club of Belleville, IL.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Marian E. Bayer, nee Schanz; his father, Eugene “Ike” Bayer and his mother, Milda (Joseph) Bayer-Adamitis, nee Krummrich; his parents-in-law Edmund F. and Edna B. (nee Krupp) Schanz; his sister Shirley (Harold “Hap”) Bonn; and his brother-in-law Edward W. (Sally) Schanz.

He is survived by his daughters Karen (Mark) Polczynski of New Athens, IL and Donna (Henry) Haas of Red Bud, Illinois; his grandchildren Kristin Miesner, Lauren (Zachary) Kramper, Zachary Haas, Matthew Haas and Nicholas Haas; his great-grandchildren Delaney Miesner, Avery Kramper and Dax Kramper; his sister Norma (Jim) Amann; plus many nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Paul’s United Church of Christ or St. Paul’s Senior Community of Belleville, IL.

Funeral: Due to current Covid-19 mitigations, services will be held privately with Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville, Illinois. Interment will follow in Walnut Hill Cemetery, Belleville, Illinois.