Vera Baum, 'Grandma' of Ohio's Grandpa's Cheesebarn, dies two days after husband Paul Baum
ASHLAND, OHIO: Vera Baum, the "Grandma" of the widely celebrated Grandpa's Cheesebarn, died on Saturday, December 10, just two days after the death of her husband, Paul "Dick" Baum, who died at the age of 93.
Less than a week ago, on Sunday, December 4, the couple celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary, the Ashland-based company announced in a Facebook post. The couple first met back in 1949, when Vera was just the checkout girl out front and Paul was a meat cutter in the back. “Her brother asked me one time to take her home because he couldn’t take her home, and that was that,” Paul told News 5 in 2015 while recalling their first meet. At the time, his “sweetie” helped at Sweetie’s Chocolates, the candy store adjoining the barn.
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“Our beloved Grandpa & Grandma, Paul & Vera Baum, have both gone home to our Lord”, they said in the post. “Grandma & Grandpa celebrated 73 years of marriage on Dec. 4 and went home to heaven within two days of each other. While we are saddened and this special couple will be missed beyond belief, the Lord has a greater purpose and has called them home for Christmas. Together they left behind a legacy of love, family, and business.”
Notable as a stop for travelers marked by its billboard on I-71, Grandpa’s Cheesebarn and Sweeties Chocolates was founded by Vera and her husband in 1978, along with their daughter Ronda and her husband Dick Poorbaugh, in Ashland. In 2015, the second Grandpa's Cheesebarn was founded in Norton and is currently operated by Ronda's daughter, Mistie.
Despite the two tragic losses, the Ohioan institution is planning to continue the tradition by delivering delightful cheeses, meats, and sweets to their customers this festive season. “Heaven has gained two sweet smiles,” the post added. “So say cheese and a prayer as we all take this journey together.”
Hundreds of people have expressed their condolences on Baum's passing, with many applauding the sweets and cheese they served all these years. "It was always cool to go to Grandpa's Cheesebarn and see Grandpa behind the counter working with family and staff," someone wrote. "I love this place so much. It's more than just a shop, it's an experience."
“I remember waiting on them at the old L&K restaurant back in my high school and college days. They were such a sweet couple—friendly and kind,” another said while a third wrote, “My deepest sympathies. I stop at The Cheese Barn every time I'm headed home from Columbus. One time I was there I saw grandpa. Rip”
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