Agnes Bierbaum
Agnes Bierbaum, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to all whose lives she touched, passed away peacefully in Tavares, Florida on March 24, 2021. She was 86. A funeral mass will be held at 9:00 AM, Wednesday, March 31 , 2021 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Mount Dora, Florida. For friends and family unable to attend in person, the service will be live-streamed and can be accessed at this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3jhCVQwLdUbsU8-
NlzhXMA?view_as=subscriber. Condolences can be offered at www.hardenpauli.com.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Agnes and her family moved to a farm in Ste. Genevieve, MO when she was four years old. She attended college in Cape Girardeau, MO, Agnes pursuing a career as a speech pathologist. In 1965, she earned a Master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in her field of specialization. She continued as a public school speech pathologist until her retirement in 1992.
Agnes married Gene Bierbaum at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Zell, Missouri, on June 9, 1956. During 1957-1965, Agnes became the loving mother of five children, all of whom survive her: Paula Bogardo (Lancaster, PA), Ellen Carter (Leesburg, FL), Mark Bierbaum (West Hartford, CT), Diane Muckstadt (Burlington, VT), and Robert Bierbaum (Lumberton, TX). During her later years, she delighted in becoming a grandmother to 14, and a great-grandmother to 12.
Agnes was always a very giving person and a friend to the lonely and forgotten. She was an enthusiastic supporter of environment concerns and volunteered at several nature centers over the years. An accomplished musician, she frequently played her violin and dulcimer at charitable gatherings. She was an active member of the nursing home volunteer network, “Friends Across the Ages,” and regularly visited and took home-baked goods to nursing home residents. She assisted Gene with his line dance events at numerous workshops and community functions. She also performed regularly with various volunteer community choirs. In 2010, Agnes wrote and published a book, Reaching Out to Others, about the difference volunteering can make in the lives of others.
In addition to her five children, 14 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren, Agnes is survived by her husband, Gene Bierbaum (Tavares, FL), and sister-in-law, Madge Bierbaum (Chesterfield, MO), and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to consider a memorial donation to Friends Across the Ages (https://www.friendsacrosstheages.org).