Cindy Kay (Morris) Bauer

Cindy Kay Bauer, 67, of Bemidji, was born on November 18, 1958, and on May 25, 2026, at Bemidji Hospital. She hit the final jackpot at 9:03 a.m. and cashed out of this world the same way she lived: stubborn, hilarious, impossible to argue with, and always convinced the next spin was going to be the big one.

If you ever went to the casino with Cindy, you already know there were only two rules: Never leave while she was “due.” Never question her machine-picking abilities. A devoted fan of casino lights, free coffee, lucky streaks, and saying “just one more spin” at least 47 times before actually leaving, Cindy truly enjoyed every second of the ride. If there’s a casino in Heaven, she has already found the penny slots, charmed the staff, and is currently arguing with a machine that “better start paying out soon.”

She was reunited in spirit with her late husband, Bruce Bauer, who likely pulled up in his Mustang, jamming out to "Waiting On A Woman " as his wait of 2 years ended at that moment, and you can softly hear Cindy say, "Take me to the casino," as Bruce says, “Well… there goes our retirement money again.” As they burn rubber and peel out to the casino, Cindy married Bruce Bauer on January 5, 1979. Together, they built a life full of love, laughter, adventures, chaos, stories nobody can repeat at family gatherings, and enough casino trips to qualify as professional gamblers in spirit. Together they raised three children: Heidi (Jeremy) Skinner, Jessie Bauer, and Jennifer “Jenny” Bauer (Wayne Sys). Cindy loved her family fiercely, though she occasionally pretended not to hear people when she was focused on her reels.

Cindy had many talents: Turning a “quick casino trip” into an all-day event, convincing herself that every machine was “warming up.” Spoiling her grandkids rotten, sneaking candy to Nova while acting completely innocent, and somehow ending up with a different hair color every few months. Nobody ever knew what color Grandma Cindy’s hair would be next, including, at times, Cindy herself. When she wasn’t chasing jackpots, she could usually be found playing games around the table, watching reels on her phone, cuddling her beloved cats Runt and Tiger, yelling at western movie characters as they could hear her, or trying to convince everyone she was not tired after falling asleep sitting upright.

Above all else,

Cindy’s greatest win in life was her family,  especially her great-granddaughter, Nova, who could get away with absolutely anything around Grandma Cindy. Rules mysteriously disappeared whenever Nova showed up. Cindy will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her children; her sister, Viola Steele; her eight grandchildren; her great-granddaughter, Nova; and many nieces and nephews who loved her dearly and probably still owe her money from card games.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bruce Bauer, her parents, Lillie and Walter Morris; her brothers, Robert Morris, Cedric Morris, and Raymond “Tom” Morris; her sisters, Leaphie Eckley, Rose Kise, Evelyn “Sally” Steele, Bonnie, and Peggy; her nieces, Wanda McGahee and Susan Ambrossier; and her nephews, George Morris, Lyle Castonguay, and Rodney Morris. who are all likely preparing themselves now that Cindy has arrived and started looking for slot machines.

Though our hearts are heavy, Cindy would not want us to sit around crying too long. She’d probably tell us to quit being dramatic, go have fun, and put twenty bucks in a machine “for good luck.” So, in Cindy’s honor, spin a reel, tell a funny story, sneak an extra piece of candy to a kid when their parents aren’t looking, and remember her the way she would’ve wanted: laughing loudly, living fully, and believing the next jackpot was always right around the corner.

The greatest memory I have with Cindy was Christmas dinner, and Jeremy was cooking, and she wanted to help, and she ended up burning me, and she said, " Well, that’s what happens when you're just standing there with your thumb up, you’re a$$ now move out of my way.  That was the last time she ever cooked in the kitchen.  Saved every future burned victim from that day forward.

Cha ching… JACKPOT.

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