Steven Randal Bauer
April 15, 1959 - April 13, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008 10:43 AM PDT
Nyssa
Steven Randal Bauer was born April 15, 1959, in Portland, Ore., to Wilbur and Vivian Newcomb Bauer. He passed away Sunday, April 13, 2008, while fishing at Brownlee Reservoir on the Snake River, two days before his 49th birthday.
Steven started school in Larimore, N.D., and completed first- through third-grades in Minnesota, before the family moved back to Newberg, Ore., where he finished his schooling.
He graduated with honors from Newberg High School in 1977. He was one of the state’s top high school wrestlers while in high school.
Steve knew at an early age that he wanted to be a dentist and never deviated from that path. In high school, he was a dental explorer scout, and his mom would take him to the dental school in Portland.
While in high school and college, he, his brother, Mark, and Dad learned to scuba dive, where they spent many weekends with friends diving in Oregon and Washington. Steve learned to fish at an early age. He enjoyed water skiing on the Willamette River in the summers and snow skiing on Mt. Hood or Mt. Bachelor in the winters. He also taught himself to play the guitar.
Steve attended Portland State University, where he was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He graduated from the honors program at Portland State University in June, 1981. He was accepted at Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry and graduated in 1985.
Steve and his dad drove around the Northwest that summer looking for a possible dental office for sale. When he stopped in Nyssa because of his love for fishing and hunting, he decided it was the perfect place to start his first practice. Harry Sabin wanted to retire, and Steve bought his dental office. Steve and his dad built a new clinic on Bower Street in Nyssa in 1988. He was very proud to be a dentist and was a very good one. He continued special classes at OHSU Dental School and, in the last few years, started orthodontics and dental implants.
Steve found the love of his life when he met Sheri Simpson. They were married Dec. 15, 1986, in Nyssa. They had 20 happy years of marriage.
Their first son, John, was born Jan. 4, 1988, and their son Nick was born Dec. 28, 1991. While his sons were young, Steve was very involved in their sports, especially baseball — from T-Ball, Little League to Babe Ruth. He tried to never miss John’s high school baseball games.
Steve was a volunteer fireman in Nyssa for 15 years.
After moving to Nyssa, one of his greatest loves was fishing, where you could find him and his boys almost every weekend, if he wasn’t bird hunting with them. He also was a wonderful photographer. He and Sheri lived on the banks of the Snake River and enjoyed having barbecues for friends and family.
Steve is survived by his wife; sons; his mom and dad, Dundee, Ore.; brother, Mark, Manvel, Texas; sister, Kristina Bauer-Selten, Houston; grandmother, Opal Newcomb, Richland, Wash.; aunts and uncles; cousins; and many, many friends.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 19, 2008, at the Nyssa High School gymnasium. Arrangements will be under the direction of Lienkaemper Chapel, Nyssa.
In lieu of flowers, a donation in Steve’s name to the Nyssa Fire Department, 301 Main St., Nyssa, OR 97913, would be appreciated.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lienkaemper-thomason.com.
bill wrote on May 8, 2008 7:44 AM: