Eileen Bauer

Eileen Adair Bauer, 19, died of suicide June 1, 2017.

She was born in Madison, Wisconsin on July 8, 1997, to Rebecca Bull and Brian Bauer. Eileen graduated from Madison West High School in 2015, where she had many close friends and supportive teachers, and was a co-President of the Gay-Straight Alliance. She was a student at Lawrence University, where she was studying psychology and gender studies. She loved her community there and was happy to be immersed in the entire experience: the academics, where her fine mind was clearly evident; the social life, where her humor, compassion, and imagination enlivened all around her; and her involvement in social justice, mental health advocacy, and queer activism issues that were her passion.

Eileen was deceptively fragile in appearance, but surprisingly strong and powerful, even fierce. Her beautiful smile lit up the room: she had a bright, colorful, funny, perceptive, sparkling spirit, and an active, curious, restless mind. She knew how to listen, and was kind and supportive to her many friends from every chapter of her life, including her online community.

Open and direct in confronting her illness, Eileen wrote a mental health recovery/advice blog to help others with similar challenges, and planned to become a clinical psychologist. She would have been a wonderful therapist.

She is survived by her parents, her older brother Eric Bauer, her maternal grandmother, Gillian (Garrett) Bull, and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Her maternal grandfather Colin Bull and paternal grandparents George F. Bauer and Adair (Higginbotham) Bauer preceded her in death.

Plans for a memorial service have not yet been finalized. Those who would like to make contributions in Eileen's memory might consider

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

or locally

GSAFE | Creating Just Schools for LGBTQ+ Youth
https://www.gsafewi.org/

In Eileen's own words:

"Whatever you feel is valid, whether it be anger or sadness or confusion or fear or maybe even relief. It's all okay. Grieve however you need to."

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434