Baughman, Lyle Henry

Lyle Henry Baughman, 83, of 6458 Quail Ridge Dr. SW, Cedar Rapids, went to be with our Lord on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, from cancer. Lyle is survived by his wife of 58 years, (Marvis) Ann Shepherd Baughman; two daughters, Dana Baughman Chapman (Kyle) of Cedar Rapids, and Melanie Baughman Raffel (Greg) of Chesterfield, Mo.; and his namesake grandson, Carter Lyle Chapman of Cedar Rapids.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Mildred Maxine Baughman, and his parents.

Lyle was born April 22, 1926, at home in Griswold, Iowa, to John Henry and Mattie Louella Simmerman Baughman. After graduating from Griswold High School in 1943, Lyle went to work for his father and grandfather's earth moving business, William John Baughman & Son, where he operated bulldozers, draglines and the like. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict from 1950 to 1952, stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Fort Belvoir, Va., where he attained the rank of Sergeant First Class with the Army Corps of Engineers. Lyle was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. While at Fort Belvoir, Lyle met his future wife, Marvis Ann Shepherd, at a USO dance. Lyle and Ann were married on Feb. 24, 1951, at the First Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va.

After service in the Army, Lyle and Ann moved to Griswold, Iowa, where Lyle joined his father in the earth moving business, now renamed John H. Baughman & Son. When his father retired, Lyle and Ann and their two girls moved to Cedar Rapids, where Lyle took a job with the Highway Commission, later known as the Iowa Department of Transportation. Lyle worked for the DOT for 32 years, from 1959 to 1991, taking and teaching engineering classes, and working as a road and bridge inspector. Following retirement, Lyle did consulting work for a few summers for the City of Marion and the City of Cedar Rapids.

Lyle enjoyed his family, Cedar Hills Community Church where he had been a member since 1960, and many friends; and was known as the “Mayor of Quail Ridge.” He loved striking up conversations with anyone anywhere and delighted in finding that so many people he either knew or were related to people he knew in Griswold or Cedar Rapids. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, handyman and loved antique cars and trains.

Visitation will be held Saturday, Dec. 12, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Cedar Hills Community Church, with the funeral following at 11 a.m. A lunch will follow at the church. A committal service, with military honors, will be held at 2 p.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. Services will be conducted by Dr. Leonard Ranson and Rev. Kent Landhuis.

A memorial fund in Lyle's name has been established.

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