James “Jim” Baumert, age 92, of Howells, Nebraska passed away Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at his home in Howells. Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, Oct 3 at 10:30 a.m. at S.S. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Howells, with Fr. Stan Schmit officiating. Interment will be in S.S. Peter and Paul Cemetery with lunch following at the Howells Catholic Social Hall. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 until 5 with a 5 p.m. vigil service all at the church. Memorials can be directed towards Howells Historical Society or Little Angels Childcare Center. Svoboda Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
James H. Baumert was born on March 14, 1930, in Howells, Nebraska to Henry and Emma Baumert. He graduated from Howells High School in 1948 and went to work for his father. On June 12th, 1950, he married Marianne J. Pimper at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. The couple was blessed with five children: Deanne, Gary, Debra, Katherine, and Christine, 22 grandchildren and 50 great grandchildren. Jim and Marianne shared 68 years of marriage and their family was the centerpiece of their life.
In 1958, Jim and Marianne took over ownership of Baumert Furniture, Inc. which had been established by Jim’s father, Henry, and Peter Bogner in 1916. Baumert Furniture remained family-owned and operated for three generations until it closed on January 1, 2022. The business remained extremely successful for the 64 years that Jim and Marianne were at the reins, despite competition from larger local and Omaha-based rivals. He often told family and friends that “they made a great team”, which anyone who knew the couple could certainly attest to! Beyond business success, Baumert Furniture also contributed to the success and livelihood of the Howells community. Over the years, the business sponsored and supported many different activities and events. According to Jim, supporting local events and causes was their way of preserving the small-town way of life. When Baumert Furniture closed in 2022, the business had been owned and operated by the same family for longer than any other business in town. In 2022, the business & its building were awarded National Register of Historic Places designation in the area of commerce for its impact to local development and in the area of architecture as an example of a one- and two-part commercial block building type.
Jim was an avid gardener. His bounty often included tomatoes, cucumbers, snap peas, dill, asparagus, kohlrabi, cabbage and potatoes. After the passing of his wife in 2018, he continued the family traditions of baking, making pfeffernuesse (peppernuts) cookies for Christmas, canning, and experimenting with new recipes. His bread, pies, pickles and horseradish were exceptional! He enjoyed watching Husker Volleyball, and played a mean game of pinochle. Loving the music of the Big Band Era, polkas and waltzes, everyone in the family knew better than to call or visit him during the televised Lawrence Welk, Molly B Polka shows or Sunday morning polka radio hours.
Jim was a life-long member of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. He was deeply religious. He prayed the rosary daily, including every family member, and was the hotline to call if any special intentions were needed. He was a mentor, sounding board, voice of reason, moral barometer, the epitome of hard work, and the best role model anyone could ask for.
He is survived by his children Deanne (Gary) Ernesti of Omaha, NE, Gary (Bernadine) Baumert, Debra (Dave) Blum and Christine (Daylin) Risch of Howells, NE. Sister-in-law Erika Pimper of Brigham City, UT, 20 grandchildren and 49 great-grandchildren.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Marianne, his parents Henry and Emma (Suchan) Baumert, brother and sister-in-law Robert and Maxine (Kuzelka), sister and brother-in-law Arline (Baumert) and Lloyd Welding, brother-in-law Dennis Pimper, sister-in-law Mauneen Pimper, daughter Katherine Gooch, son-in-law Daylin Risch, grandson Jeffrey Ernesti, granddaughter Brenda Baumert, and great-grandson Brevin Blum.