Richard Ben Bath

John W. Siemer

Richard Ben Bath
Husband, father, pastor, cowboy, grandfather, friend

Born Jan. 1, 1931 in an old ranch house in Ash Valley, Calif., 20 miles outside the ranching and lumber town of Adin, Rich grew up chasing cows and rigging hay derricks on the family ranch with a little rodeo, riding, roping and branding thrown in for fun.

Rich attended a one-room school house in Ash Valley then rode horse-back to town each week to board with cousins and family friends while completing high school in Adin. Rich then attended UC Davis studying agriculture for a year, served his country in the Marines at Camp Pendleton, Calif. and Mt. Fujiyama, Japan during the final years of the Korean conflict, and after coming to know the Lord as his personal savior at the age of 20, continued his studies and ultimately completed his masters of biblical studies from Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, Ore.

A lifetime of ministry began in 1960 in Paulina, Ore; continued in his little hometown at the Adin First Baptist Church while working full time on the family ranch, then full time at the First Baptist Church of Crescent, Ore.; and then on to a 30-year association with the American Missionary Fellowship that included service as camp director of Cocolalla Lake Bible Camp, in Bonner County, Idaho; area missionary of Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington; and finally pastor at Morgan Acres Community Church in Spokane, Wash.
Rich went to be with his savior at 3:55 a.m. Tuesday, June 21, 2011 in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.

Rich is survived by his wife of 32-years Rhoda Jean Moore Nagle Bath, of Post Falls, Idaho; son John Willard Bath, of Chula Vista, Calif.; daughter Kathleen René Bath, of Seattle, Wash.; son Paul Nathan Bath and wife Meagan, of Cambridge, Idaho; step-son Paul Anthony Nagle and wife Beth, of Novi, Mich.; step-son Timothy Alan Nagle and wife Michelle, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; nephew Danny Paoff and wife Roxcella, of Salem, Ore.; grandchildren Amanda Marie Bath Mayor, of Portland Ore., Kristine Ashlee Nichols of Seattle, Sariah Virginia, Rachael Grace, and John Thomas Bath, of Cambridge, Idaho; step-grandchildren Rita Aileen Nagle, of Novi, Mich. and Eden Grace Nagle, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; great-grandsons Evan James and Colin Wesley Mayor, of Portland, Ore.; sister Grace Bath DeForest, of Marysville, Calif.; and brother John Oren Bath, of Bonanza, Ore.; nieces, nephews, “adopted” kids, campers and friends too numerous to name.

Richard was preceded in death by his wife of 24 years Virginia Belle Mason Bath, in 1978; his eldest son Vernon Wesley Bath, in 1979; step-granddaughter Lyla Grace Nagle, in 2007; brother Fred Bath and Sister Martha Bath McNeall.

Rich never lost his love for his savior, spreading the good news of salvation, his home ranch, the great outdoors, his family and friends and was always ready, even into his final year, to climb up on a horse and help with a little ‘cowboyin.’

Services were held Sunday, June 26, 2011 at Real Life Ministries, in Post Falls, Idaho. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in memoriam to Cocolalla Lake Bible Camp or Morgan Acres Community Church. In keeping with his request Rich’s remains will be returned to Ash Valley at a yet to be determined time.

John W. Siemer
John (Jack) William Siemer passed away May 15, 2011 at the age of 85, in Coronado, Calif. Jack was born on Dec. 28, 1925 in Ross, Calif. and was preceded in death by his daughter, Lesley (2009), and wife, Betty (2010).

He is survived by his sister Mary Farnham; sons Alan and Jeffrey; and grandsons Christian and Michael.

Jack was raised in San Anselmo, Marin County, Calif. and graduated from Tamalpais High School in 1942. He was trained in the U.S. Naval Reserve V-12 officer program and served during World War II.  He then attended Stanford University majoring with a bachelor degree in economics in 1948. While at Stanford, Jack was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and the varsity football and swimming teams. He also graduated from the Harvard University Advanced Management Program in the summer of 1970.

Following graduation from Stanford, Jack worked for American President Lines, Ltd. (1948-53), as a management trainee in San Francisco, a purser on passenger ships — including two around-the-world trips — and sales representative in the company’s Chicago office. Jack then spent the bulk of his career thereafter pursuing his greatest passion in the Hawaiian sugar industry: Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association training program (1954-55); various positions at Waimea Sugar Mill Co., Ltd. and Kekaha Sugar Co., Ltd (1955-62); managing director of Amfac’s subsidiary sugar operations in Uruguay (1962-66); president and manager of Pioneer Mill Co., Ltd., Lahaina, Maui (1966-75); and, executive vice president of Amfac’s agriculture group in Honolulu and San Francisco (1976-82). Jack also briefly served as Lassen County’s administrative officer. Jack served in various directorships: California & Hawaiian Sugar Corp. (San Francisco); Bay & River Navigation Co. (San Francisco); Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association (Honolulu); Food & Agriculture Committee; U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Washington, DC); Grace Bros., Ltd.; chairman of Amfac’s five sugar plantations in Hawaii; and, board of governors of Esperance Land & Development Co. (Western Australia).

Jack also served his community as: president, Maui County Council, Boy Scouts of America (1972-74); director Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America, Honolulu (1975-80); Hawaiian Sugar Technologists (1954-82); Lahaina Restoration Foundation; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Lassen County Chamber of Commerce; Lassen County Arts Council; and the Lassen Economic Development Council. He belonged to four Rotary clubs — West Kauai, Lahaina (past-president), Honolulu, Susanville, Calif. Jack voluntary participated in overseas assignments for International Executive Service Corps, Greenwich, Conn, in Paraguay and El Salvador, following retirement. He was also a volunteer naturalist at Red Rock State Park, Sedona, Ariz., 2003-2006.

Jack had a zeal for travel and he toured all seven continents, including Antarctica, with his wife Betty. He gave numerous presentations about his travels and taught many about the cultural and geographic nuances of the areas they visited.