[Oe List ...] Fw: Jim Baumbach: A Westside Story

[carol.walters at yahoo.com]

   ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: carol.walters at yahoo.com <carol.walters at yahoo.com>To: ORDER LISTSERVE <oe at wedgeblade.net>Cc: Alice Baumbach <axb3016 at gmail.com>Sent: Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 10:40:48 AM ESTSubject: Jim Baumbach: A Westside Story
 The following story was written by George Walters after we talked together about our memories of the Baumbach's when we lived and worked together.
Jim Baumbach: A Westside Story
By George Walters

It was a cold Chicago winter, 1977, and the old WestsideBethany Seminary where the ICA colleagues lived to work in Fifth City wassuddenly without heat for the third time. All the stopgap solutions had notworked on the ancient steam heating system. We were getting quotes on a newsystem, which for an NGO budget were astronomical.

Jim had spoken to me several times about a treatment andrestoration system of the old system and pipes that his company sold around theworld and so we talked again and he said, “Let me show you what is possible.”  I okayed a modest budget so he could go towork.

We managed to clunk along for several days by wearingsweaters and jackets, kept warm enough to work. Suddenly after about a week, the heat was on everywhere. A knock on mydoor and Jim was standing there smiling and saying, “come look.”

Down into the basement we went, and I could hear the roar ofthe furnace as we approached and there it was – new pipes painted red, and aseries of drums of chemicals across the floor with tubing tied into new valveswith handles you could turn. He and our building super, Mike Ford, were beamingfrom ear to ear as they explained to me the technology and the chemicals beingapplied.

“This tank will begin to clean out the rust and corrosionacross the entire 5 story campus” he said. “This tank will prevent new build upof corrosion” he added. “This big barrel will collect the corrosion which wecan then have hauled away. Mike will gradually increase the corrosion, removalchemicals and increase the chemicals that prevent build-up.  I will help him monitor.”

But then there was the long-term issue. It was still an oldsystem which could have other ailments. The chemicals were costly and wouldneed to be sustained to sustain the system. Jim just smiled and said, yes thatis all true, but we’ll tackle that next winter. I agreed. I’m not sure how therest of that winter got paid for, but I think I know. By the next winter, I wasgone and we soon left the old campus in favor of the Bethany Hospital’sexpansion plan. 

Today as we mourn Jim’s passing, we all remember theconsummate professional he was, and the generous spirit he embodied as shown inthis one of many stories.

  
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