Chris M. Bauer

was a Wisconsin Badger through and through, proudly wearing his Badger red on game day – and most every day in his retirement! He was a proud member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity (Fiji). With a commitment to ensuring that UW students receive the education that laid the foundation for his own career, Chris created the Chris M. Bauer Endowed Professorship in Banking and Finance, and the Chris M. Bauer Undergraduate Scholarship. Chris was most passionate about his family and friends, who he loved deeply. He had a big and generous heart, great strength of character, and an incredible sense of humor. He was never without a good Sven and Ole joke at hand. Chris was an outdoorsman and particularly loved the water. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing cards with his friends, movies, music, traveling the world, and dancing. Chris is survived by his loving partner, Diane (Dee Dee) Pellegrin; his three children: Michelle (Brian), Christopher (Sarah) and David (Kate); and his five grandchildren. Chris was the big brother and father figure to his siblings: Joel (deceased), Judie, David (Catherine), and Robert. Often referred to as “The Godfather,” his nieces and nephews loved him greatly. His parents Heinz and Mariann preceded him in death. A private memorial service will be held with family. A visitation and celebration of Chris’s life will be held at a later, to-be-determined date. In the interim, we welcome sharing thoughts and memories of Chris at Becker Ritter Funeral Home’s online guestbook at BeckerRitter.com. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Chris’s memory can be made to Next Door Foundation, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, and Siebert Lutheran Foundation.