Obituary of Katie Leigh Bauer

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing away of Katie Leigh Bauer, 22, of Tullahoma, TN, on Saturday, August 7, 2021. Katie was born to Melinda Leigh Bauer and Daniel David Bauer on October 2, 1998. She is survived by her fiancé, Jacob Meaker, both parents, and brothers Dylan Daniel, Vince David, and John Luke. Katie was a graduate of Riverdale High School where she was a cheerleader. She was attending Middle Tennessee State University with intentions to graduate within the next year with a psychology degree. Katie and Jacob were working on plans for their wedding for the following year. She was a loving doggie mom to Trigger and cat mom to Kimble. Nothing was more important to Katie than family and she had dreams of becoming a mother one day. She was sweet, kind, and helpful to everyone she encountered. Katie was an irreplaceable bright light in the lives of all the people who she loved. She was a believer in Christ and a member of New Vision Baptist Church. Katie also leaves behind grandmother, Mary Ann Bauer, aunts, Tina (Billy) Porter, Jaime (Jerry) Brown, Stephanie (Derek) Lewis, uncle, Kevin Bauer, and cousins, Heather (Christian) Powers, Ryleigh Porter, Keeley Brown, Zayne and Chance Brown, Evelyn Lewis, and Travis Seifert. Additionally, great-grandmother, Ella V. VanWinkle, great-aunt, Donna VanWinkle (Randy) White, aunt, Mandy (Victor) Gillihan, and cousins, Victor Jr., Benjamin Gillihan, Tommy (Tifini) Bain, Bella Bain, Brinli Bain, Rachel (Kyle) Rutledge, Kaiden Rutledge, and Jamie Markum. She also leaves behind many beloved extended family members and friends. She was preceded in death by grandmother, Vickie VanWinkle Markum, grandfather, Charles Terrell Rye, great-grandfather, Thurman David VanWinkle, great-aunts Ann VanWinkle and Sandra VanWinkle Ross, and cousin, Amy Markum. Additionally, grandfather, Gerald Joseph Bauer, uncle, Joseph Bauer, great-grandparents, Violet Marie and Burt Bush Varga, great-aunt, Carol Buell, and great-uncle, Allen Varga. A visitation will be held at Murfreesboro Funeral Home from 2pm-8pm on Thursday, August 12, 2021. Funeral service will be held Friday at noon also at Murfreesboro Funeral Home with burial to follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens in Tullahoma. The service will be officiated by Phillip Robinson. Pallbearers will be Tommy Bain, Jerry Brown, Victor Gillihan, Derek Lewis, Billy Porter, and Jimmy VanWinkle. Murfreesboro Funeral Home is honored to service the Bauer family.