Frederic A. "Fred" Bayer


Born June 9, 1932 Died October 30, 2016Fred Bayer, Baraboo, passed away in his sleep the morning of October 30, 2016 in the same house in which he was born, some 84 years plus earlier. However, it would be an understatement to say that Fred did much and traveled many miles between these two events. What follows are just some of the highlights.Fred enlisted in the United States Navy after attending Baraboo High School and served in the Korean-Pacific theatre of operations until 1955. He attained the rank of Petty Officer First Class and was highly decorated during that time, earning nine medals. He remained in the U.S. Naval Reserves until honorably Discharged in 1959. Fred was a member of the Baraboo chapter of the American Legion until his death, a period of over 55 years.Upon his return from the Pacific, the Sauk County Traffic Police hired Fred as a patrolman. He became an officer of the Sauk County Sheriff's Department after the Traffic Police merged with that agency, and he performed his duties for the Sheriff's Department and Traffic Police overall for nearly 18 years. During that period he achieved the rank of Lieutenant and occupied the position of Night Supervisor of the Sheriff's Department soon after.In 1972 the Village of Lake Delton asked Fred to build a first class Police Department. He accepted that challenge and served another 18 years as Chief of Police of Lake Delton, building the agency into a small but innovative, modern and advanced police department that was the envy of the State. During the final years of this stint, before his State retirement, he also served as co-director of Emergency and Disaster Relief Services for the State of Wisconsin. After his retirement, Fred was named Chief of Security at the Wisconsin Dells Greyhound Park, and occupied that position until the track went out of business 6 years later.During these times and thereafter, Fred remained an avid and expert horseman, who could often be seen leading parades and maintaining crowd control with his famous and impressive white Barbary-Arabian horse, the Gray Ghost. In the late 50's Fred and his best friend and co-worker, James Jantz, formed the Sauk County mounted Sheriff's Posse, the only voluntary group of its kind west of the Mississippi. The Posse remained in operation for over 20 years providing community education and service, law enforcement assistance, and Emergency Medical Services for the citizens of Sauk County and the surrounding area. Fred was one of the first Emergency Medical Technicians in Wisconsin, became an EMT instructor and also was one of the first in the area to achieve national certification. He ensured that all officers that worked for him at the Lake Delton Police Department also earned and maintained their EMT certifications so that they could truly serve the citizens of their community in any way they might have been needed.Jantz, the best man at Fred's wedding and soon to be Fred's first son's Godfather, was slain in the line of duty by three Chicago men who had robbed the Ishnala Supper Club in 1961. Fred arrived on the scene as the shooting was occurring and returned fire as the men fled in a vehicle. Finding his friend dead and the Lake Delton Marshall badly injured, Fred rushed the Marshall to the hospital in his squad car, an action that saved the Marshall's life. Due to his tireless efforts during the ensuing 3 day manhunt, which resulted in the capture of all three fugitives, as well as an apprehension of two dangerous criminals shortly thereafter, Fred Bayer won the inaugural James Jantz Memorial Award for outstanding Law Enforcement service in 1962. At the time this was the highest award that could be bestowed on a law enforcement officer in Wisconsin. He also was a training officer in humane and non-lethal riot control techniques in the sixties, assisted in riot control in Madison during the unrest there, and played a major role in thwarting a terrorist attack at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant south of Baraboo, in 1966. He died as a fellow of the American Federation of Police, the National Association of Chiefs of Police, and a holder of the National Commission on Law Enforcement Standards' Professional Certificate in Law Enforcement Science. He also served several terms as the president of the Sauk County Chiefs of Police Association. Fred Bayer married his beloved wife, Nancy in 1959, a union that ended in December of 2015 when Nancy passed away from cancer. Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of his life were as a fine husband, father, and friend. Fred was also preceded in death by his father, Alfred "Pete" Bayer; mother, Mattie Bell Bayer; a brother, Harley; and three sisters, Edna and Gertrude Bayer and Harriet Tews. He is survived by his son, David (Annette) Bayer of Oshkosh and his son, Eric of Wautoma; granddaughters, Ariana of Oshkosh, Louisa of Gary, Indiana and two great-grandchildren, Charlie and LunaBella also of Gary.Visitation will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016 at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church at 10 a.m. with funeral services to follow at 11 a.m. with Pastor Karen Hofstad officiating. Interment will be held at Rock Hill Cemetery immediately following the service and mourners are invited back to the church for a luncheon after the burial. Military Rites will be held at Rock Hill Cemetery. The Redlin Funeral Home is assisting the family.