Lydia Ann Horst

1915 - 2021  (105 years)

• Name	Lydia Ann Horst
  Born	20 Jul 1915	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Gender	Female
  Name	Lydia Ann Bauman
  Residence	1953	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Residence	1980	, New York State, USA   [2]
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-132314
  Died	13 Feb 2021
  Person ID	I132314	Generations
  Last Modified	30 Sep 2024

  
  

  Father	Daniel B. Horst,   b. 4 Aug 1876, Bothwell, Zone Twp., Kent Co., Ontario ,   d. 9 Aug 1955, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 79 years)
  Mother	Annie Weber,   b. 7 May 1878, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 23 Feb 1953, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 74 years)
  Married	25 Jun 1898  [3]
  Family ID	F31516	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Rev. Howard S. Bauman,   b. 28 Sep 1919, of, St. Jacobs, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 15 Sep 2010, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 90 years)
  Children	1. James Bauman   2. Esther Bauman   3. Lois Bauman   4. Lucille "Lucy" Bauman   5. Kenneth Bauman,   b. 1952, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 20 Jan 1973, Akron, Erie, New York, United States  (Age 21 years)   6. Howard Charles "Charlie" Bauman
  Last Modified	1 Oct 2024
  Family ID	F45876	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Lifetimes: Centenarian Lydia Ann Bauman noticed everything around her By Valerie Hill Special to the Record There is a photo of Lydia Ann Bauman taken in July 2020. She is sitting outside her Cambridge retirement home, surrounded by family, birthday balloons and a huge sign declaring she was turning 105. The love of family was evident in her smile. Reaching 105 was a remarkable milestone for the Mennonite woman who was born into the Old Order faith, living without electricity, running water or modern conveniences. "She kept her mind active," said one of her sons, Charlie Bauman, explaining why his mom lived so long. "She was a daily reader of The Record and would go through one book a week. "She also kept physically active." Lydia Ann kept her mind sharp by embracing everything and everyone around her, memorizing the names of new people she met, always engaged in all aspects of life. "People were amazed how much she remembered," said Charlie. "She took an interest in others." Jim Bauman, another son, said his mom also loved nature, trees, flowers, birds, even clouds. She noticed everything around her. Lydia Ann was born in St. Jacobs on July 20, 1915, one of 12 children to farmers Daniel and Annie Horst. When her father fell ill, he moved the family to the healing warmth of Florida. Lydia Ann was two. After four years, they returned to Elmira. In Florida, Daniel had dabbled in truck driving and back in Canada, he purchased a truck to carry his farm produce to the Kitchener market. This modern convenience was strictly against the Old Order way of life and the family had to leave the faith, joining a more modern order of Mennonites. Her family said Lydia Ann never spoke about this time when everyone she knew in church, their very way of life was suddenly and dramatically changed. But as always, Lydia Ann thrived in this new normal. Though very bright and an avid reader, Lydia Ann was not interested in school and left when she was 13 to help at home. She would also work for other farm families, mostly doing housework and caring for infants. After leaving the Old Order faith, the family joined the Elmira Mennonite Church where she met Howard Bauman. The couple married in 1940 and would have six children: Jim, Lucy, Esther, Lois, Charlie and Ken who died in 1973. Howard would have the distinction of being among the last Mennonite ministers chosen by "lot" which meant three candidates were asked to randomly choose a bible. The one who opted for the bible containing a hidden paper was appointed. Howard trained at the Ontario Mennonite Bible School in Kitchener and served as minister at the Elmira church from 1945 to 1966, moving on to serve two decades at a church in New York state before retiring and returning with Lydia Ann to Elmira. In 1987, the couple moved to Fairview Suites in Cambridge. Howard died of a heart attack in 2010. In the home, Lydia Ann made a point of getting to know everyone and she contributed to the many fundraising quilts being made in the craft room. Lydia Ann's daughter Esther Bauman recalled that fitness was an important part of her mom's routine. "She loved to walk and walked about two kilometres a day," said Esther. "When we would walk together, it was hard keeping up with her." Lydia Ann walked regardless of the weather, bundling up against the cold. Walking indoors, her steady pace kept her moving forward beyond her 105th birthday. Two years ago, Lydia Ann had a bowel obstruction and though doctors didn't expect she'd survive without surgery, the centenarian refused. "We were getting ready to put her in a hospice," said Jim. The obstruction not only cleared but Lydia Ann was soon out walking again. During the pandemic lockdown, she'd stroll the home's grounds or indoors. There was a determination that kept her motivated, at least until last October when she had a fall and dementia began to darken her good nature. Lydia Ann died on Feb. 13, 2021. Charlie created a list of life lessons learned from his mother, one which spoke of being compassionate toward the destitute, then taking action. He remembered how she would welcome the many homeless people who came to the door of their Elmira parsonage looking for a meal. "She didn't turn them away," said Charlie, noting she even took in a neglected, sickly baby and nursed it back to health. In a eulogy, daughter Lucy Goshow said of her mother, "She had a strong will to live life to the fullest." Esther described her mother as "gentle, caring, strong, amazing, extraordinary, a woman with dignity." Freelance writer Valerie Hill is a former Record reporter. She can be reached by email at vmhill296@gmail.com "Lifetimes: Centenarian Lydia Ann Bauman Noticed Everything Around Her". 2021. Therecord.Com. https://www.therecord.com/life/2021/03/01/lifetimes-centenarian-lydia-ann-bauman-noticed-everything-around-her.html.

  
  

• Sources

  [S74] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Kitchener-Waterloo Record (1948-1994), Obituary of Mrs. Daniel (Annie) Horst - 23 Feb 1953. [S74] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Kitchener-Waterloo Record (1948-1994), Obituary of Samuel W. Horst - 21 Feb 1980. [S8] News - Gospel Herald, Obituary of Daniel B. Horst - September 20, 1955 --- Page 912.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 20 Jul 1915 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1953 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1980 - , New York State, USA  = Link to Google Earth