John E. Baumgart
January 2, 1947 - February 10, 2019
        

John E. Baumgart, age 72, of Mequon passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 10th with his family by his side.

John was born on January 2, 1947 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  John was a graduate of Green Bay West High School, Carroll College and UW- Milwaukee.  A member of many professional organizations, John enjoyed a long and productive career in the field of vocational and rehabilitation services.  He was instrumental in the creation of Wiscraft, Inc.-Wisconsin Enterprises for the Blind (formerly Wisconsin Workshop for the Blind), dedicated to providing opportunities for sustainable employment to individuals who are blind, serving in various capacities including President and Executive Director from 1979 until his retirement in 2013.

John and Joan (Rintamaki) Baumgart were married in Mequon, Wisconsin.  Their 40 year relationship welcomed twins, Clare and Ian. His children were the greatest joy in his life. He always had the biggest smile and a special spark in his eye when he spoke of them and their many accomplishments. To John, “nothing was more important than family.”

John enjoyed experiencing life by traveling the world with his cherished family by his side.  One favorite destination was to the white sand beaches of Negril, Jamaica. In Negril, with a Red Stripe in hand and his family at his side, everything was “Irie”.  One could always rely on his wit to lighten any room and his enthusiasm for life was contagious. He will be missed by all who knew him.

John is preceded in death by his parents, Timothy and Margaret Baumgart.  He is survived by his wife, Joan; his daughter, Clare Baumgart of Minneapolis, MN; his son, Ian Baumgart of Madison, WI; siblings Margaret (Paul) DeCoster, Timothy Baumgart, Dorothy Baumgart, Patricia Vogels and Mary (Bruce) Van Straten all of Green Bay, WI; nephews, Ben Vogels and Jon Vogels of Green Bay, WI; niece, Jenny Vogels of Helena, MT; the Rintamaki family, and many friends and colleagues.

John’s family would like to extend special thanks to Kim Nelson and family; the Rintamaki family; Jane Terry; Rick Cohen, Donna Grode and the staff Homecare Assistance; Dr. Avi Bernstein; and the staff of Horizon Home Care and Hospice for their support and care during John’s illness.

A celebration of John’s life will be held on Friday, April 5 at Schmidt & Bartelt 10280 N Port Washington Rd, Mequon, WI 53092 with a visitation from 2:00 PM until time of service at 3:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials in John’s name are suggested to Horizon Home Care and Hospice, 11400 W Lake Park Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53224 or to the Brain Donor Project, Memorial Contributions, PO Box 845, Mason, OH 45040.