On Monday, November 22, 2010, FRED WILLIAM BAER passed away peacefully at the age of 84 years at St. Michael's Palliative Care Centre, after a courageous nine year battle with prostate cancer.

He is survived by his loving wife Netta (Linders); his dedicated son Richard and daughter-in-law Barbara; his step-mother Violet Baer of Chicago; his sisters Barb Martens of Coaldale, and Marlene Krogstad of Chicago; his brothers Arthur (Pat) Baer of Carson city and Max Baer of Chicago; his sisters-in-law Vera Linders and Nellie Hutton of Lethbridge, and Louise Reiter of Iron Springs; his nephews Brian (Mary) Kerr, James (Jane) Kerr of Toronto, Terry (Donna) Hutton of Vernon, Kevin (Cathy) Reiter of Iron Springs, Ward (Robyn) Reiter of Iron Springs, Scott (Ruth) Reiter of Lethbridge, Mark Poirier of Fort Saskatchewan, Ray (Karen) Martens of Medicine Hat, David (Andrea) and Brett (Laura) Krogstad of Chicago, Raymond Baer of Chicago and Danny Baer of Carson City; his nieces Barb (Kevin) Viergutz of Coaldale, Caroline Linders of Lethbridge, Gaetanne (Sean) Murphy of Edmonton, Erin (Terry) Johnson of Iron Springs, Michelle (John) Tavernini of Edmonton, Ann Marie (Danny) Joyce of Toronto, Laurin (Ron) Belcher of Toronto, Marlene (Bob) Tobin of Chicago and Shirley (Paul) Scalf of Tempe; and all his special grand nephews and nieces who brought great joy and wonder to his life.

He is predeceased by sisters-in-law Lindy Kerr and Ricky Poirier; his nephews David Hutton and Jimmy Baer; his brother-in-law Corne Martens; and other family members Barry Reiter, Jim Hutton and Dave Kerr.

Fred was a ""Galt"" baby, born April 2, 1926 at the Galt Hospital in Lethbridge. He grew up on a farm north of Coaldale, establishing a strong ethic for hard work - in the coal mines, as an apprentice in metal work and roofing, a seasonal worker in the Cinder Brick Plant and finally gaining employment at a Partsman for John Deere in 1948. He remained with John Deere until his retirement in 1981, working as a Territory Manager and residing in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Edmonton, Grande Prairie and Camrose. He was Supervisor of the new Distributing Warehouse in Grimsby, Ontario. The excellence of his woodworking projects and his golf refinishing business made him famous in his community. To his wife, son and daughter-in-law, his large extended family and his friends he shared an amazing zest for life that included salmon fishing, ice fishing, golf, cross country skiing, visiting, reading W.O. Mitchell and Jean Auel, talking about what he read, travelling, driving and enjoying the countryside, gardening, and hosting family meals and celebrations. He was a robust man with a big heart and a generous spirit who took pride in his family and friends and the positive space he created in his community.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, November 25, 2010 at OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2405 12th Avenue South, Lethbridge, with Father Darek Zarebski, celebrant.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Fred's memory may be made to St. Michael's Palliative Care Centre, 1400 9th Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V5 or to the Cancer Clinic Radiation Department, or the Chinook Regional Hospital; both c/o the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation, 960 19th Street South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 1W5.