Peter J. Baran Obituary
Peter J. BaranLinwood, MichiganPeter (Pete) Baran, beloved brother & uncle, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2026, in Bay City, Michigan just 2 days after celebrating his 95 th birthday. He was born on January 24, 1931, at the family farm in Pinconning, Michigan to the late Frank & Mary (Kozub) Baran and grew up in Pinconning and Linwood.
Pete lived his life caring for others. After his father passed in 1959, Pete lived with & cared for his mother until her passing in 1983.
Pete was very active with sports & hobbies in his younger years. He enjoyed bowling, golf, horse track racing, hunting & fishing. He was an avid Tigers & Lions fan. Pete continued his lifelong love of gardening, fishing, & playing Euchre until his passing.
In 1985 Pete married his Polish wife, Leona (Lena) and they shared a lifetime of adventures, memories, their Polish culture & heritage and unbreakable bond. After his retirement from Bay County Road Commission, they travelled often to Poland to visit Lena's family. They enjoyed their winter trips to Arizona & Florida. Pete unselfishly cared for Lena until her death in July of 2025.
Pete was an active member of Knights of Columbus, Prince of Peace-St. Anne Campus. He lived his life very faith-filled & with a quiet, thoughtful, analytical demeanor.
Pete is survived by his sister, Annie Mier, along with many nieces and nephews including in the Grocholski family: Floyd (Von), Rob (Marilyn), Gary (Tina), Steve (Sheri), Greg (Luanne), Dan, Annette, and Jeannie (Jim) Mauer, Diane (Joe) Ruch, and Christine (Steve) Nichols. Other nieces & nephews include John (Louann) Bero, Sandy (John) LaBo, Mike Baran, Linda Krzysiak, Janie (Jan) Kuligowski, Randy (Kim) Mier, Dave (Jill) Mier, & Rosalie (Mike) Andrzejewski.
Pete was preceded in death by his siblings; Helen (John) Bero, Aloysius (Shirley) Baran, Chester (Agnes) Baran, Julia (Floyd) Grocholski, brother-in-law Warren Mier, nieces & nephews; Pam Blaszczynski, Elaine Melick, Bonnie David, and Ron Bero.
Pete is also survived by his extended family in Poland; two stepsons Artur (Ewa) Radzinski, Wojtek (Mariola). Radzinski along with step-grandsons; Tomasz, Dr. Pawel, Piotr, and Igor Radzinski.
Over the years Pete has shared activities & memories with good friends Ray Manyen and son Mike Walleye fishing on Saginaw Bay. Ron Monsion, Don Revard, and great neighbor, friend and confidant Jim Boyk. His friends of Polish heritage are Elizabeth & Ziggi Giovanoli and Elizabeth & Josef Kubica.
Special Thank you to great niece & nephew Ronni (Hugh) Ettline and Dan Bero for their assistance with home maintenance.
Funeral Mass will be Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 11:00 am at Prince of Peace -St. Anne Campus with Rev. Fr. Prentice Tipton presiding, with inurnment at St. Anne Cemetery. Friends and family may visit at the church from 10:00 am until time of service.
