A Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Famer, and founder of a charity that supports cancer patients and families, has died.
Lyle Bauer, who was an offensive lineman with the Bombers from 1982 to 1991 and later served as the team’s president and CEO from 2000 to 2009, died at age 65, his family announced Tuesday.
“Throughout his life, he brought joy, comfort, and a drive to make change in his community,” his daughter, Danni Bauer, wrote in a statement released by the Never Alone Cancer Foundation, which he founded after he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2004.
Bauer won three Grey Cups — one in 1984, another in 1988 and a third in 1990 — and was inducted into the football club’s Hall of Fame in 1998.
Born in Saskatoon, he left the Bombers to work as president for the Calgary Stampeders between 2010 and 2012.
The Never Alone Cancer Foundation, which supports other individuals’ journeys with cancer, says “thousands of Manitoban cancer patients found solace and support” through Bauer’s efforts.
“While his loss is deeply felt, Lyle’s memory will endure through the countless lives he touched and his unwavering commitment to community service,” the foundation said in a statement.
A celebration of Bauer’s life is expected at a later date.