Obituary of August J. "Gus" Bachmann
August J. Bachmann “Gus”, 94, of Monroe Township New Jersey, passed away on Monday, May 12, 2025 at the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home, Menlo Park.
He was born in New York City, NY and was raised in Harlem, Forest Hills, Greeley, PA, and West New York, NJ. Gus received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from New York University. He served his country in the United States Army Signal Corps from 1952 to 1954 during the Korean War. During his time in the service, he saw combat and helped with the reparations of a war-torn country. He rarely shared much about his experience but what did happen and what he witnessed as a soldier in the US Army, had a profound impact on him throughout the rest of his life.
In 1955, Gus started his career as a shop teacher for Hawthorne school district, he then spent the next 37 years working for the Union City Board of Education. He was first a shop teacher then over his long career he many roles including: Department Supervisor of Industrial Arts, Assistant to the director of School Site Plant and Equipment and retired as a Director of Schools in 1992.
Gus had a second job, as he started and ran his own business, Gus Bachmann’s Electric and Air Conditioning. Rumor has it that many of his yellow Gus Bachmann Electrician stickers can still be found throughout Bergen and Hudson Counties.
Gus married his high school sweetheart Marilyn Vigil and lived and raised his family in New Milford New Jersey for almost 70 years, in 2022 he and his wife moved to Clearbrook Retirement Community in Monroe Township New Jersey.
Gus loved fixing things, camping, square dancing and dogs. He took his wife and children on many memorable and adventurous camping excursions. His camping journey started with tents and included many trailers and trucks along the way. His last camper was a more like a bus, which he and his wife Marilyn used extensively to tour the country (even Canada), until he could no longer see well enough to drive his over 35-foot RV.
Gus was very involved in his community and volunteered much of his very limited time. He was a long-time active member of the New Milford Volunteer Ambulance Corp, the Boy Scouts, and the Republican Club. He was also a former member of the Glory Day Lutheran Church and proud member of the several local Veterans Associations.
Mr. Bachmann was predeceased by his wife, Marilyn Bachman; his son, Keith Bachmann; and a brother, Leonard Bachmann.
August is survived by his son, Kris Bachmann and his wife, Celeste; daughter, Karilyn Bachmann and her wife, Sandra Straus; daughter-in-law, Vikki Bachmann; grandchildren, Christine Mellusi and her husband, Joseph, Kyle Bachmann and his wife, Kim, Derek Bachmann and his wife, Melissa, Jacqueline Monroy and her husband, Tyler, Kris Bachmann, Jr. and his wife, Carissa, Mathew Bachmann and his wife, Kristian, Devin Bachmann and Zane Bachmann; great-grandchildren, Stella, Madelynn, Savannah, Harlow, Brennan, Hunter, Brynn, Chase and Remi.
All arrangements were private by Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, Freehold Township. To leave condolence messages for the family, visit www.claytonfunerhome.com.