Chris Baumann

Chris was raised by his beloved great grandma Baumann and was heavily influenced by his great uncle Clair. Chris’ youth was not easy, after grandma Baumann died when he was 9, and he was on his own at age 16. Chris developed an unparalleled work ethic which endured over his lifetime. He worked with his hands and excelled at whatever he set his mind to. Over the years he mastered the art of auto painting, auto body work, over the road trucking, heavy truck mechanics and shop foreman/jack of all trades for an independent trucking company for 20 ½ years.

Chris loved motorcycles and rebuilt his ‘71 SuperGlide twice. His love of machines led him to rebuild a ’70 ½ Z28 and acquire a custom bike built to his exact specifications.

Diagnosed with MS in 1999 and robbed of his ability to ride his motorcycle, he then found his new favorite machine, his Ford SVT Lightning.

Chris continued to work after his MS diagnosis, refusing to let it extinguish his passion for a job well done, until December 2014, when a hospitalization forced him to retire. Any other person would have quit upon diagnosis, but not Chris. If he had had a choice, he would have worked to his dying day. In retirement, life threw Chris another curve, diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer in 2018. Yet again, he stood up to the cancer for longer than the experts predicted. Through it all, Chris never complained, never asked why him.

Chris is survived by his wife Janet (nee Dawson) whom he married 25 February 1984. While there were a couple of rough patches, their love triumphed and an unmatched companionship remained to the end. Chris is also survived by his mother Dawn, sisters-in-law Patti Dawson, Terri Dawson, Jean Dawson, Susan Dawson-Tibbits, Patty Wood Dawson and brother-in-law Steve Dawson; numerous nieces and nephews and many long time friends.

Chris was preceded in death by his uncle Dean, father- and mother-in-law Frank and Valerie Dawson, brother-in-law John Dawson and his beloved one-of-a-kind cat, Smoker.

Due to the COVID Pandemic, all services and interment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to either the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 525 W. Monroe St., #1510, Chicago, IL 60661 www.nationalmssociety.org or the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust 209 S. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60604 www.flwright.org