Pauline "Pat" Bauman

Rock Valley, IA: Pauline “Pat” Bauman, 91, of Rock Valley, Iowa, died Friday, January 9, 2026, at Hegg Health Center in Rock Valley. A funeral service will be held Thursday, January 15, at 12:00 PM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley with Pastor Jim Sweers officiating. The service will be livestreamed at https://www.porterfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/pauline-pat-bauman. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation with the family present will be held prior to the service from 10:30-11:30 AM at the funeral home.

   Memorials may be directed to the First Community Church of Hope in Doon, Iowa.

   Pauline “Pat” Bauman was born December 15, 1934, on an acreage near Rock Valley, Iowa. She was the youngest of 10 children born to Bastiaan and Lyda (Vanden Bosch) Groeneweg. Pat attended Rock Valley High School and during those years she played basketball, earning her way to the state championship for free throws. After graduating in 1952, Pat attended Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa to obtain her teaching certificate. While there she continued to play intramural basketball. She always dreamt of being a coach and her dream became a reality when she was honored as a coach at the Rock Valley girls basketball game in February 2024 through the program, “Dare to Dream.”

   Pat started her teaching career with 1st and 2nd grade in Ireton, Iowa and several schools around Rock Valley, covering for other teachers who had to be away. Along the way, she met John Bauman. Their first date was going to a baseball game in Sioux Center, Iowa. He didn’t ask her to go, he just said “I’ll pick you up before 7,” with no chance for her to respond. John and Pat were united in marriage June 15, 1955, at the Pioneer United Methodist Church in Rock Valley. She was home with their two children, Terry and Mark, until John came home to tell her he had found a job for her along with childcare. So, she began working at the US Bank drive-up in Rock Valley and worked there for 26 years, retiring in 2006.

   Her faith and church family were important to her. Pat enjoyed bowling league and was an avid golfer. They would also go to the Alkota Dance Hall in Sioux Falls South Dakota every Saturday night to “boogie,” as Pat would say.

   When John passed away on April 16, 2022, Pat moved to Riverview Ridge Assisted Living. She enjoyed the many activities offered and more importantly, the friendships of the other residents. After a recent fall, Pat passed away January 9, 2026, at Hegg Health Center in Rock Valley at the age of 91.

   Grateful for having shared in her life are her 2 children, Terry (George) White of Council Bluffs, Iowa and Mark (Sue) Bauman of Inwood, Iowa; 2 grandchildren, Amy Bauman and Cody (Becca) Bauman; great-granddaughter, Everly; sister-in-law, Judy Groeneweg; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

   Preceding Pat to heaven were her husband, John; granddaughter, Angela Bauman; sisters, Anna (Henry) Van Ginkel, Rena (Dick) DeVries, and Lyda (Clarence) Terpstra; and brothers, Leonard (Catherine) Groeneweg, Paul Groeneweg, John (Marian) Groeneweg, Walter (Alta) Groeneweg, Albert (Joanna) Groeneweg, and Simon Groeneweg.