James Allen Baumbach, PhD.

Jim passed away quietly at home on Friday, November 14, 2025, surrounded by his family. He had been in home hospice for 16 months. He amazingly survived 4 different types of cancer over the past 23 years, but his incredible sense of humor and his lively spirit kept him going. A private, green, burial ceremony will be held and he will be interred in St. Joseph Cemetery, Inc. in Appleton, WI. The Rev. Dr. Tricia Matthew will officiate this service, and her husband, Keith McGillivray, will provide the music.

He was born to the late Oscar Baumbach and Leida (née Freundt) Baumbach in Waukesha, WI. He graduated from Pewaukee High School and then attended Carroll University in Waukesha, WI, where he earned degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics. He graduated from Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, with a PhD. in Inorganic Chemistry.

His first professional job was as a Research Chemist with Shell Oil Company in Houston, TX. His next position was with Nalco Chemical Company in Naperville, IL where he first served as a Research Chemist and later as a Group Leader, followed by work in International Sales.

After 17 years with Nalco, he took a short-term position as an IT Specialist for Water Treatment Programs with Industrial Water Engineering in Albuquerque, NM. For the next 20 years he operated his own company, Water Technologies Worldwide/Baumbach Labs, Inc., where he validated water treatment equipment for the State of Wisconsin and others. During this time he also worked as a part-time Water Treatment Consultant for Water Right, Inc., Appleton, WI.

He held memberships in the American Chemical Society, the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, Sigma Xi, the Cooling Tower Institute, the American Physical Society, the Association of Water Technologies, the Water Quality Association, the American Institute of Chemists, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

He met his wife, Alice (née DesJardins), at Michigan State University and they were married in Warren, MI in 1962. In 1969 they joined the Order Ecumenical and the Institute of Cultural Affairs in Chicago, IL, whose mission was to teach religious and cultural courses across the country and build models of community reformulation that could be replicated around the world. Except for one year on the north side of Chicago, they lived on the west side in a ghetto community. While Jim worked at Nalco, Alice worked in-house with the preschool and the community center. One member of each family was assigned to work out so that the project could be funded. All of those who worked out donated their salaries. Both Jim and Alice felt this was the most empowering work of their life.

Jim is a member of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Appleton, WI. As part of the All Things Considered Men’s Group at MPC, he thinks he made over 3000 pots of coffee over the years. He was an Elder and served two terms as Clerk of Session. Before his first cancer diagnosis, he accompanied the youth on over a dozen work trips, and he loved every one. For several years he created CD’s of worship services to share with shut-ins. He developed the first MPC website and was the church webmaster for 10 years. To help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, he participated in a church work trip to Houma, LA. When the Winnebago Presbytery Partnership traveled to Colombia, SA, he was there.

Jim traveled widely. For pleasure: to Alaska, Mexico, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Nepal, Egypt, South Africa, France, England, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Italy, Russia, Iceland, Canada, and throughout most of the U.S. For missional work: to Majuro, Marshall Islands; England; Germany; Italy; Puerto Rico; and Colombia. For professional work: to Colombia; Venezuela; Brazil; Argentina; Italy; Germany; France; Austria; Phillipines; South Africa; Hawaii; South Korea; Taiwan; England; Indonesia; Australia; Belgium; Holland; Egypt; Singapore; Mexico; Chile; Canada; and many of the U.S. States.

In the Appleton community, Jim belonged to the Torch Club of the Fox Cities (2 years president); the Housing Partnership (1 year secretary and 1 year president); NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, as a computer network troubleshooter, participated in fundraisers through NAMI Walks and the NAMI Bowl-a-Thon. He loved doing Meals on Wheels; He received a Golden Rule Award from J.C. Penny for community service. He participated in the Kurgan, Russia, Sister City Project. He and Alice managed the Durkee Project, a housing rehab effort of a 5-bedroom home, a joint year-long endeavour of Memorial Presbyterian Church and the First United Methodist Church of Appleton.

He considered his single greatest accomplishment to have been the grandfather to Andrés and Alejandro Valdez, sons of Juan and Ana Maria (née Ortiz) Valdez. Not having children of his own, he found abundant gratification in his relationship with them.

His special interests included writing short stories, poetry, and essays; growing flowers, zinnias in particular; reading The New Scientist weekly magazine; building model airplanes and ships; old time radio; photography; and television mystery and science fiction series.

Survivors include his wife, Alice (née DesJardins), of 63 years; his sister, Carol Ann Corlett (née Baumbach) of Green Bay, WI; niece Marilyn Mead (née Thoss) (Steve) of Green Bay, WI; nephew David Thoss (Kathy) of Omro, WI , and niece Billie Jo VanRizen, Omro, WI; brother-in-law Edward DesJardins (Arlene) of Hermiston, OR; brother-in-law Norman (Billie) DesJardins of Gresham, OR; sister-in-law Donna (née DesJardins) (John) Bawiec of Modesto, CA; brother-in-law, Jim DesJardins (Johanna) of Damascus, OR; plus several nieces and nephews in Oregon, California, Idaho, and Washington; godson Alejandro Mass, Adjuntas, PR, currently serving with the military in Germany. Finally, and of utmost importance, his spiritually adopted daughter, Ana Maria, and son, Juan, of Appleton, WI, and his grandsons Andrés Valdez, Franklin, WI; and Alejandro Valdez, Stevens Point, WI.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Leida (née Freundt) Baumbach; brother-in-law Thomas Corlett; nephew Thomas Corlett Jr.; niece Valerie Thoss; foster brother Dennis Witz; nephew Douglas DesJardins, son of Norman and Beverly (née Herd) DesJardins; and his father and mother-in-law, Truman and Edith (née Howard) DesJardins.

Many thanks go to the members of Memorial Presbyterian Church for all of their support over the past 23 years. Additional thanks go to the ThedaCare At Home Hospice for their above and beyond care during the past 16 months, especially to Nurse Tess Agen; Bonnie Hoersch, APNP; Social Worker, Stephanie Vahlsing; CNA’s Carolyn Freyermuth; Breann Cordy and Claudia Abba; and Hospice Volunteer, Rich Kewley, who encouraged him every week to recall the important stories of his life.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, December 19, 2025, at Memorial Presbyterian Church, 803 E. College Avenue, Appleton, WI, 54911, at 11:00 a.m., with the Rev. Dr. Michael Goodwin officiating. Friends may gather at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Lunch to follow. In lieu of flowers, Jim would prefer that memorials be directed to Memorial Presbyterian Church for youth programs or to ThedaCare at Home Hospice, 3000 E. College Ave, Appleton, WI 54915.