Dr. Ogden T. Baur went to be with the Lord Sunday morning December 20th, 2015, at Wilson N. Jones Hospital. He was born in Cairo, Illinois, November 10, 1939 to Paul Schuh Baur and Ruth Williams Baur. He was the second of six Baur boys. He had an adventurous childhood growing up in Cairo at the juncture of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. It was in Cairo that he met his High School sweetheart, Judy Lynne Kirkland. An outstanding athlete and student, he graduated from Cairo High School in 1957. The following year joined the Corp of Cadets at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and during his time there, proudly served as a Ross Volunteer, the governor's honor guard. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1961 with a degree in Science and was commissioned into the United States Army. He started medical school at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, Tennessee, and performed his residency with the U.S. Army. He married Judy in 1963, and they were together for the next 52 years. He was stationed in San Antonio, TX, at Brooke Army Medical Center, then Beaumont Medical Center in El Paso, TX, before being deployed to Pusan, South Korea in 1971 as Commander of the MASH hospital unit there. President Richard Nixon personally contacted Dr. Baur to deploy yet again in 1972 to Nicaragua as commander of a U.S. Army MASH unit to provide aid and earthquake relief. Dr. Baur left the Army as a Major in 1973. The family's last duty station was Ft. Hood in Killeen, TX. It was his experience with the MASH units and the popularity of the television show MASH that he occasionally went by the handle "Hawkeye."
Dr. Baur came to Sherman, TX, in the summer of 1973, joining the practice of Dr. Robert "Bob" Rowland at the Essin Clinic. They were later joined by Dr. Saleem Khan. Together, Drs. Baur, Rowland and Khan were the backbone of the general surgery department at Wilson N. Jones for many years. Dr. Baur quickly developed a reputation for excellence in patient care. Over the years many patients, assistants and colleagues expressed their admiration for the level of treatment Dr. Baur provided. It was not unusual for him to spend 10 to 12 hours a day at the clinic and hospital. He truly loved being a doctor eventually becoming Chief of Staff at Wilson N. Jones and Medical Plaza Hospitals during his career. He believed and often quoted, "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." One of his proudest accomplishments was getting the Regional Cancer Center to Sherman. He retired from practice in 2005 after 32 years of dedicated service to the Grayson County Community. The skilled surgeon's hands were not idle for long. In his retirement he quickly took up woodworking creating several impressive works. For many years his now grown children were surprised at Christmastime with a new hand carved ornament. Those ornaments are now family heirlooms. He also enjoyed working and improving on his home and gardens eventually becoming a Master Gardner. There was always at least one and often several "projects" going on at the Baur home up until the day of his passing. He was a diehard fan of Texas A&M athletics, particularly football and followed all things related to Texas A&M. One of his favorite quotes was by General George Patton who said, "Give me an Army of West Point graduates and I'll win a battle…Give me a handful of Texas Aggies and I'll win a war." God has our proud Aggie father now. We thank you Lord for the 76 years you allowed him to be with us.
He was a life-long Presbyterian and a member of the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sherman, TX, and a member of the Texoma Woodcarvers as well as several other organizations in the community. He was an avid historian and a lover of wildlife, particularly eagles. In addition to the thousands of lives he has touched or saved over the years, he leaves behind his wife of 52 years Judy Baur, four children and their spouses – Kirk and Kris Baur, Lynne and Rick Arnold, David and Meredith Baur and Michael Baur; and 12 grandchildren – Lydia Inboden, Kyle Baur, Austin Baur, Nicholas Baur, Haleigh Arnold, Colton Arnold, Peyton Arnold, Alyssa Arnold, Drake Baur, Dillon Baur, Alyx Baur and Michaela Baur. He also leaves behind three brothers, Roger Baur of Houston, TX; Richard Baur of College Station, TX; and Danny Baur of Bryan, TX. He was preceded in death by two of his six brothers, Paul Baur and David Baur. Always a source of knowledge and strength he will be sorely missed by the many lives he touched.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sherman, TX. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Sherman. Arrangements are under the direction of Waldo Funeral Home.
Family night will be held on Tuesday, December 22nd from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Waldo Funeral Home.
The online register book may be signed online at www.waldofuneralhome.com