Stephen Michael Baukat

Stephen Michael Baukat, age 80, passed away peacefully on December 14, 2025, at Mercy Hospice, CommonSpirit Hospital in Durango, Colorado. He was born on May 14, 1945, in Northwood, North Dakota.

Steve was an intellectual, kind, and soft-spoken man with a keen mind and a strong sense of integrity. He was a good judge of character, thoughtfully opinionated, and deeply principled. Those who knew him best recognized his quiet strength, steady presence, and sincere compassion for others.

Steve received his education at LeJeune High School in North Carolina, attended East Carolina College (UNC) from 1963 to 1964, studied at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan from 1964 to 1967, and completed his studies at the University of Southern California, Riverside, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

He proudly served in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1974 and was honorably discharged. Steve was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Award in 1972. His final assignment was aboard the USS McKean (DD-784), where he served as an Electronics Technician specializing in air and surface search radar.

Following his military service, Steve spent nearly four decades working in the commercial and military electronics industry. Over the course of his career, he held roles including quality engineer, quality control manager, product assurance director, reliability engineer, and ISO Quality Assurance Specialist. His final professional position was at SemiDice, Inc. in Southern California from 2010 to 2013. Previous employers included BAE/Microsemi Power Management Group on the ARIES space flight project, Macrolink, Inc., Computer Systems Tech Support, and the Solaris Systems Division of Genisco Technology. It was within this industry that he met his beloved wife, Donna Mae.

Steve had a lifelong love of learning and hands-on problem solving. He enjoyed fishing, firearms, computer hardware, and was well-versed in Linux systems. He maintained his own vehicles, rebuilt a Corvette engine, and had a deep interest in world economies and Russian history.

Above all, Steve lived a life of service. He faithfully supported his wife, Donna Mae Baukat, in her nonprofit organization, Community Compassion Outreach, serving individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders in Durango. From 2018 through 2025, Steve volunteered his Saturdays at Coffee & Conversations, offering time, dignity, and kindness to those who were food-insecure. He was elected an elder at Durango Christian Church, serving from 2018 to 2022. Steve truly cared for “the least of these,” living out his faith through action.

Steve is survived by his wife of 44 years, Donna Mae (Goles) Baukat, and her three adult children: Mari Odette-Kanotz (Chad Kanotz), Walter Avillanoza, and Bernadette Avillanoza. He is also survived by seven grandchildren—Tessonja Odette, Brindi Dickinson, Keenan Becker, Evan Avillanoza, Dylan Avillanoza, Ryan Avillanoza, and Bela Lucas—and two great-granddaughters.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Lett Baukat, retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, and his mother, Alna Paulson, a schoolteacher.

A Celebration of Life will be held in May 2026. Details will be announced at a later date.