Russell L. Bauer

Russell L. Bauer passed away peacefully on January 12, 2026 at the age of 74, surrounded by the love of his family in Somerset, NJ. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation in Russell's honor on Friday, January 16, 2026 at Ketusky Funeral Home, 1310 Brooks Blvd, Manville, NJ from 4pm-8pm. The funeral will be on Saturday, January 17, 2026 8:45 am from the Ketusky Funeral Home followed by a 10:00 am Funeral Service at Saint Bernard Cemetery and Mausoleum, 551 NJ-28, Bridgewater, NJ. Russell was born in Elizabeth, NJ and grew up in Linden, NJ where he met the love of his life, Karen, in High School. After graduating High School, Russell proudly enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan and served his country with honor and dedication, receiving an honorable discharge at the rank of Corporal (E-4) in June 1971. Russell was extremely patriotic and remained deeply proud of his service throughout his life. After returning home, Russell attended Fairleigh Dickinson University achieving a Bachelor of Science Degree. He worked as a part-time accountant for Meat Cities Incorporated and Schering-Plough in both Madison and Kenilworth. One of his greatest joys was opening a book store with Karen called the Book Stall in Matawan, NJ which they lovingly ran from 1991-1997. Later, Russell returned to work at Solix, where he remained until his retirement in March 2013. Russell and Karen built a beautiful life together and were blessed with a daughter, Lauren. After retiring they settled into their permanent home in Somerset, NJ. Russell was an avid reader who found joy in books and loved sharing that passion with his wife and daughter. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grandfather who truly made his family the center of his world. His grandchildren were his greatest joy. Russell will always be remembered for his gentle routines and simple pleasures - making sure to get his 5,000 steps in daily and happily working on puzzles. He had a quiet, steady way of showing love, always putting his family first and living to make them happy. Russell is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Karen (Domanski) Bauer, his daughter Lauren and her husband Brian, and his cherished grandchildren Audrey, Vivian and Aidan. He is also survived by his brother James and his wife Jo-Ann Bauer. In lieu of Flowers, donations may be made in his memory to: American Heart Association www. heart.org or American Lung Association www.lung.org

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Russell L. Bauer

February 10, 1951 - January 12, 2026