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Former Niles resident leaves estate to local organizations
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ESTATE DONATED: William D. Bauman left more than $1 million to Niles McKinley High School, McKinley Memorial Library Association, Niles First United Methodist Church, Niles Historical Society and Trumbull New Theatre. He died last year at 79.
The wealthy man was described as quiet and low-keyed.
BY JORDAN COHEN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NILES — A former resident of Niles who left an estate valued in excess of $1 million has donated most of it to a local church, Niles McKinley High School and three Niles organizations.
William D. Bauman, 79, called “Bill” by his friends, died last October in Aurora. Throughout his life, he maintained his ties with the city and its people according to Richard Bullock, a retired Niles McKinley High School teacher and a long-time friend. Bullock’s older brother graduated with Bauman from McKinley in 1947.
“We were neighbors, and our back doors weren’t more than 20 feet apart,” Bullock said. “He never lost his love for this city.
“Bill was always appreciative of the things here and the people he met,” Bullock said. “He was especially interested in the arts and local history.”
Those tastes are reflected by the recipients of his donations in addition to the high school: McKinley Memorial Library Association, Niles First United Methodist Church, Niles Historical Society and Trumbull New Theatre.
Bauman was born in Youngstown in 1929 and spent his young adult years in Niles where he worked at the General Electric Ohio Lamp plant. He moved to Cleveland in 1969 where he became a quality auditor for the G.E. Consumer Marketing Department in Cleveland, retiring from there in 1988. Bauman, who never married, lived in East Cleveland and was survived by an older sister and two nieces.
In an inventory filed with Cuyahoga County Probate Court last January, Bauman’s estate was valued at more than $1 million, however officials said the figure is subject to change depending upon the value of his stocks and the sale of his East Cleveland home, which is still on the market. Bauman’s attorney, Jon Fitzpatrick, Chagrin Falls, confirmed allocations from the estate at 35 percent for McKinley High School, 35 percent for the church, and 10 percent each for the library association, historical society and Trumbull New Theater.
Bauman “was one of those people who was always interested in young people and had a very inquiring mind,” said Fremont Camerino, president of the historical society. “He was an interesting guy and a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.”
Camerino said Bauman’s bequest to the society totals nearly $200,000 with $175,000 in cash and the balance in stocks, which the society plans to sell. Camerino said the proceeds will be placed in a foundation account with investment earnings allocated to pay for repairs to the historic Ward-Thomas Museum, maintenance and acquisition of historic artifacts.
First United Methodist Church received $175,000 cash and nearly $44,000 in stocks according to its pastor, the Rev. David McDonald.
“I did not know him personally, but I have heard from our older members that he was very active in the congregation and very hard- working,” McDonald said. Bullock added that Bauman would occasionally return to Niles to attend services at the church.
His donation “boosted us at a time we were losing money on our investments,” McDonald said. “We are so grateful that he would still remember our congregation after so many years.”
Patrick Finan, librarian, said the McKinley Memorial Library Association will receive between $75,000 and $100,000 from the estate.
Finan said the association hopes to expand its arts, music and speaker programs.
The Niles Board of Education had previously announced formation of a memorial scholarship in Bauman’s name valued initially at $175,000.
Bullock described the man who made all of this possible as quiet and low-keyed who enjoyed staying in touch with his old Niles friends.
“He would track them down on the Internet throughout the country and then visit them,” Bullock said.
Bullock said he last spoke with Bauman a few months before his death and that most of the conversation dealt with one of Bauman’s favorite topics, the history of Niles.
“His passion and compassion for the city of Niles — that’s what I think people should remember about him,” Bullock said.