William Harold Baur passed away quietly on May 5, 2014. He lived quietly as well, unless you happened to mention global warming and climate change. He would then patiently explain to you that abundant evidence exists of even warmer global temperatures in recent geological history without the corresponding carbon imprint left by man. He spent a lifetime reading and learning, always to the backdrop of classical music and opera. Most of all, he was a truly free thinker, with his own carefully reasoned opinions no matter what everyone else chose to think.

He loved frappuccinos; he scorned community associations. He was never wrong, or at least not so that he would admit. He ate ice cream every day. He was a true renaissance man in the modern world – he could read dozens of books about computers without the need to ever turn one on. Educated as a physicist, he spent his free time building and sailing multihulls. In fact, he could build most anything. His humor, on the other hand, could be a bit obscure. He was a great artist and sculptor, creating works of exquisite beauty that few have been lucky to see. He was an inspiration, precisely because he never tried to inspire anyone.

William Baur was born in 1932 in Michigan. He is survived by Delores Baur, his beloved and devoted wife of 53 years. He has three children, Steven Baur, Kimberley Weyhrich, and Scott Baur, and 12 grandchildren, Courtney, Natasha, Devon, Nicholas, Dawn, Sarah, Megan, Melody, Evelyn, Abigail, Alex, and Ethan. He will be missed by them and the many birds and squirrels that he fed each day. William Baur lives on in the hearts of his wife and children, along with those fortunate enough to have gotten close to him along the way. He leaves the world a richer place.

Memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2014 from 11:30 am to 12 pm at Barranco & Sons, P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home 495 Ritchie Hwy. Severna Park, MD 21146. Memorial Service to follow at 12 pm at the funeral home.   Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation of MD: 1301 York Rd., Suite 404 Lutherville, MD 21093