STOUGHTON - John Bauer, age 71, surrounded by his loving family, peacefully passed away in his Stoughton home on February 4, 2025, after a courageous eight-year battle with metastatic renal cancer.

John was the firstborn to Obert "Toby" Bauer and Marguerite "Peggy" (Carlson) Bauer on March 10, 1953, in Duluth, Minn. The family would live in several locations across Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, before settling in Madison. John graduated from LaFollette High School in 1971 and moved to La Crosse, Wis., where he started his career as a Broadcast Engineer at WIZM radio. While in La Crosse, he met his future wife, Jessica Gilbertson. They married in 1976, and John's passion for radio brought them to Michigan and Iowa before returning to the Madison area in 1987. There they raised their family, and John became the Director of Engineering for Mid-West Family Broadcasting until his retirement in 2023.

John was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. He loved nothing more than being "Dad" to his children, and "Papa" to his grandchildren.

John is survived by his wife, Jessica; children, Scott (Jessica), Kate (Steven) Campbell and Kim (Ryan) Hermanson; and grandchildren, Tobie Bluel-Campbell, Paisley Campbell, Lincoln and Jax Hermanson. He is further survived by his brothers, Steven and Dan (Nancy); sister, Beth (Michael) LaCasse; brother-in-law, Jeff Gilbertson; aunt, Lois Bauer; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents; his in-laws, Alicia Brieske and Richard Gilbertson; sister and brother-in-law, Julie and Roger Lee; and grandson, Blake Hermanson.

No services are planned. However, a celebration of life will be held at a later date. The family extends special thanks to Agrace HospiceCare for their compassionate care of John in his last days. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Stoughton

Funeral & Cremation Care

1358 Highway 51 N. at Jackson St.

(608) 873-4590

John A. Bauer

March 10, 1953 - February 04, 2025

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